Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23

| seemed now TO De. mat Hdil houi
in the park of old Hampton Court. with
the nightingale singing its sweet song as
| an accompaniment to the great hosanna
which filled her heart. She closed her
eyes, for her heart ached nigh to bursting
| when she remembered that first touch OF
his hand upon hers. the gay. merry words
which fell from his lips. the passionate
ardor which CLEANED in his eyes.
On. God! she had worshiped one of Thy
creatures and found him less than human
after all. The murmur of the river as the
boat gllded along recalled to her those few
moments among the ruShes. when a golden
OCTOBER sun was sinking slowly in the
west and the waterfowl were calling to
their mates. while she 1eant back in a
boat, lulled by the peace of that eXquis-
| lite hour, rocked to blissful rest by the
| gentle motion of the river and dreaming
| OF heaven. for he sat opposite to her and
every look of his told her that he thought
! her fair.
Oh. God. she had worshiped one of Thy
| creatures! How great is Thy vengeance
! now,
He was false to love. false to her.
| All the jealousy had died from her heart.
| Her pain now was because he was false.
she had forgotten the other woman, she
only remembered him: that he did not
love her; that he had accepted her sacri-
flee. and laughed bitterly. cruelty. when
first she told her sublime lie for his sake.
AT the water gate of the palace the
barge drew up and Ursula prepared to
! anght. She had spent the short moments
| of the transit between Westminster and
| Hampton Court in these notwithstanding
! day dreams. She hardly realized where
she was and what she was doing Once
only when first the cupolas of the palace
| detached themselves from out the mist she
had felt such desperate pain in her heart
that for moment the mild hope came to
her that God would be merciful and
! would allow her to die
| But when she alighted she suddenly be-
| came conscious that the Cardinal de Mo-
| reno was standing before her his delicate
| white hand outstretched to help her to
| step ashore She shrank away from him
| as from viper that had stung her and
might sting her again. Not understanding
| his attitude nor the motives which had led
| him to suggest to her the lie that had
| saved WesseX. she yet knew by instinct
| that this purple-clad, benevolent person.
| this kindly and courteous diplomatist, was
thing of evil which had first polluted
| and then killed her love.
His eminence Smiled-a kind indulgent
| smile-When he Sa wthe quick look of hor-
ror in the young girls face, and he said
| very gently:
"Will you not allow me. my daughter.
70 accompany you to your apartments?
| The queen, remember. hath confided you
to my charge. l would wish to see you
safely in her grace of Lincoln's care"
Your eminence does me too much hon
or she said. coldly. Il can find my way
| alone through the water gallery
Yet her majesty, meseems will OF al
low her maids of honor to walk unat-
tended in this part Of the grounds" he
added, with slight touch of benevolent
sarcasm.
MY comings and goings have ceased to
interest her majesty" rejoined Ursula
quietly, " and I am no longer Of sufficient
Importance to require watching or to de-
mand an escort
well, as you will. my daughter 1t
is not for me to force my presence upon
you, though. believe me, 1 would have
wished to serve you
He was about to beckon to his retinue
who had stood respectfully aside during
this brief colloquy, when with a quick
wholly unexpected movement the young
girl placed her hand upon his arm and
forced him once more to turn and face
her.
"Your eminence would wish to serve
me p she said. speaking rapidly and with
strange peremptory ring in her voice.
Can you doubt it, my child?" he re-
Piled urbanely.
NO" she said. firmly, "for there is that
between your eminence and me which, if
known to the Queen Of England, would
forever ruin your position in any court
of Europe"
You would find it difficult he began,
while a slight look-oh, mereshade-of
fear seemed to creep into his eyes.
Nay. 1 was not thinking Of betraying
your eminence, nor the trap which you set
for me, into which I was full willing to
fall. I merely mentioned the existence
of this secret for the awakening of your
own conscience and because I have need
of a service from you
II will endeavor to fulfill your behests.
my child"
II desire three words with his grace of
Wessex this afternoon"
my child" he calculated. with still
a tone of nervousness perceptible in his
voice. and trace of that newly-awakened
fear lurking in the anxious look which he
cast upon her.
But she seemed quite self-possessed. and
almost commanding. as one who had the
right to demand obedience. The cardinal
did not quite know how to read her
character at this moment. There was no
doubt that If she chose to betray the part
which he had PLAYED in her voluntary
self-immolation. there would be plenty of
people at the English court only too ready
to believe her. or at any rate to seem to
do SO. The Queen Of England herself
would lend a willing ear to any tale which
would release her from her promise with
a semblance of honor to herself. His
Grace of Wessex stood fully eXonerated
now. and in the face of so much humilia-
ton the cardinal would find it impossible
to demand a fresh trial; whilst Mary
Tudor had probably already repented of
her pledge to marry King Philip of Spain!
On the other hand was it not dangerous
10 allow an interview u ldhe pidCS De
tween Wessex and Ursula? In a flash the
cardinal reviewed the situation, and
weighed all the consequences of the two
courses thus opened before him; acquies-
cence and negation. and with his usual
quickness of intellect he decided that &C
uuiescence would be least dangerous. All
he wanted was the time in which he could
obtain the queens actual signature to her
pledge Once that was done, Mary Tudor
would never go back on her royal sign
manual. In any case. not much harm
could be done in a brief interview. Both
Wessex and Ursula were so far from
guessing the truth. SO ignorant Of the
tangled meshes of the intrigue in which
undoubtedly require the testimony of a
third person at least to bring daylight
| into the black shadows of the mystery.
Therefore, his eminence, after these few
seconds of serious thought. resumed his
| kind, suave manner. and Diminishing all
| fears from his mind. placed his services
with alacrity at Lady Urshla's disposal.
But / fear me- he added refectively,
that you place too much reliance upon
my humble powers His Grace of Wes-
sex is not like to listen to me, and me-
seems that you could more easily obtain
an interview with him through your own
influence. which lust now should be
/ boundless if the duke has any gratitude
| in his heart"
| Your eminence seems to be the prime
mover in this drama of puppets" rejoined
Ursula dryly. land the queen will put
every obstacle in my way unless your
eminence interferes.
| your confidence honors me. my daugh-
\ ter I will do my humble best beside her
majesty, and you can do the rest. But