The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-02-20

with a startling change from invective
to sarcasm-"who are you to tax OF
bishops. l should like to know%?
"One," l said suiieniy. who thinks
less OF cardinals and bishops than scnie
folk, Mistress Petronilla!'
AYE, | know" she retorted scath1nG :
ly--"I know that you are a KIND or
half hearted Protestant-neither fish,
flesh nor fowl!"
II am what my father made mel"
muttered.
at any rate" she replied. you DO
not see how small you are, or you
would not talk of bishops. heaven
help us! That a boy who has done
nothing and seen nothing should talk
of the queens chancellor. Go! Go on,
you foolish boy, and rule a country or
cut off heads. and then you may talk
of such men-men who could unnake
you and yours with a stroke of the
pen, You. to talk so of Stephen Car
diner! File, fie. l say! For shame!'
I looked at her, dazed and bewildered.
and had long afterward in my mind a
picture of her as she stood above me.
In the window bay, her back to the
light. her slender figure drawn to its
full height. her hand extended toward
me. 1 could scarcely understand or
DSi1cNe lIdl tulS was lily SeitIe CouSlil.
1 turned without a word n stole
away, not looking behind me 1 was
cowed.
1t happened that the servants came
hurrying in at the moment with a clat-
ter of dishes n knives, and the noise
covered my retreat. 1 had a fancy at
terward that. as I moved away. Petron-
lila called to ne. But at the tine,
what with the confusion and my own
disorder. L paid no heed to her. but
got myself blindly out of the hall and
away to my own attic.
1t was a sharp lesson. But my feel
ings. when. being alone. l had time to
feel, need not be set down. After vents
made them of no moment, for | was
even then on the verge OF a change so
great that all the threats and misgiv-
iRgs. the feverS II agues of that az
ternoon, real as they seemed at the
time, because in a few hours as i'm
material as the dew which fell before
yesterdays thunderstorm
The way the change began TO come
about was this: I crept in late to sup
per, facing the din and lights, the rows
OF guests and the hurrying servants,
with a mixture of shame and sullen-
ness. l was sitting down with a scowl
next the bishops pages-my place was
beside them, half down the table, and
L was not too careful to keep my feet
clear of their clotaing-when my
uncle's voice. raised in a harsher tone
than was usual with him. even when
he was displeased, summoned me.
Come here, sirrah!" he cried round
~. Come here, Master Francis! I
have a word to speak to you'll"
| went slowly, dragging my feet.
While all looked up. and there was a
partial silence. 1 was conscious of
this, and it nerved me. For a ONE
indeed as l stepped On to the dais, 1
had a vision of scores of candles and
rushlights floating in mist, and of in
Vulnerable bodiless faces all turned UP
to me. But the vision and the misti-
ness passed away and left only my
uncle's long, thin face infamed with
and beside it. in the same ring
OF light. the watchful Eyes and stern,
lmpass've features OF Stephen Gard
liner. The bishops face and his eyes
were all saw then: the same face. the
same eyes, l remembered, which had
looked unyielding into those of the re-
lenless Cromwell and had scarce
dropped before the frown of a Tudor.
HIS purple cap and cassock, the lace
and rich fur, the chain of office, I re-
a~fterward.
Now, boy" Numbered Sir Anthony,
pointing out the place where 1 should
what have you to say for your
sell! why have o SO miSbehayed
this afternoon? Let your tongue speak
quickly, do you hear. or you will smart
fol it. And let it be to the purpose,
/ was about to answer something
it was likely to make things
or better l cannot remember
when Gardiner staid me. He laid his
gently on Sir Anthony's sleeve
and interposed. "One moment he said
mildly. Your nephew did not stay for
the church's blessing, 1 remember. Per-
haps he has scruples. There are peo-
pie nowadays who have. Let us hear
if it be So"
This time 1t was Sir Anthony who
did not let me answer.
mo. MOI" he cried hastily. NO. no!
is not so. He conforms, my lord; he
conforms. You conform. sir" he con-
tinued, turning fercely upon me. do
you not? Answer. sir"
"Ah!" the bishop put in, with a
sheer, you conform, do you?"
Il at end maSs-to please nv uncle"
l replied boldly.
II was i'll brought up as a child"
s. Anthony said hastily. speaking in a
tone which those below could not hear.
But o know all that, my lord-you
know all that. 1t is an old story to
you. So | make and I pray you to
make, for the sake of the house some
He conforms. He undoubt-
e6ly conforms"
Continued Next Weekly