Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
IN MARY'S REIGN.
Copyright. 1907. by
EMMUSKA ORGY.

appearance. whilst helping TO envelop his
face in complete shadow. t-sula sat OPP
posite To him on a low stool. that same
gray light falling full upon her pale lace.
which she turned sereneiy. quite impas-
sively. upon her interiocutor
His emnence rested his elbow on the
arm of his chair. and his head in his
delicate white hand. The purple robes
fell round him in majestic folds the gold
crucifX at his beast sparkled with
jewels: he was a past master in the art
Of mise-en-scene. and knew the full value
Of impressive pauses and of effective atti-
tudeS during a momentous conversation.
more especially when he had 10 deal with
a woman. His present silence helped to
set the Young girls aching nerves on
edge and be noticed with sense OF in
ward satisfaction that her composure was
not profound as she would have him
think; there was distinct tremor I'M the
delicate nostrils. jerkiness in the move
ments OF her hand. as she smoothed out
the folds of her sombe- gown.
My dear child. he began once more.
and this time in tones OF more pro-
rounced severity. "a brave man. a good
and chvalrous gentleman. is about 10
suffer not only death. hut horrible dis
grace. On the other side of these thin
walls the preparations are ready for his
trial by a coup OF men whose duty Il
realm To AXE its relentless course. The
accused will stand sel:-corvicted. Yet in
nccent. before them
Once more the cardinal paused; only for
a. second this time. He noticed that the
young girl had visibiy shuddered. but she
made no attempt to speak.
Innocent. l rnpeat it, he resumed.
otter awhile. His grace has many
friends: not one o. them will believe that
he could be capable OF SO foul crime
But ne has confessed to it. He will be
condemned. and he. the proudest man in
England, will die felon's DEATH
II know all that. your pminence." she
said. quietly. why should you repeat 1t
now?' I.
only because" said the cardinal. with
seeming hesitation. you must forgive an
old man. my child-methought you loved
his grace Of WesseX-and-?"
why does your eminence pause" she
rejoined. :you thought that I loved his
grace of Wessex-and-?"
And yet. my child. through a strange.
nay. a culpable Obstinacy. you. who could
save him not only from death. but also
from dishonor. you remain SILENT
b. Your eminence errs. as everyone else
has erred" she replied. with the same
cold placidity. Il am silent because /
have Iiaught TO say
The cardinal smiled with kind IN
diligence. like father who understands
and forgives the sins of his child
Let me explain. my daughter" he
said That fatal night when the Mar
quis de SuareZ was killed woman was
seen to fly from that part of the palace
where the tragedy had just taken place"
''Weli?"
DO you not see that II that woman
came forward fea-Iessly and owned the
truth. that it was from jealousy. or even
to defend her honor, that his grace killed
Don Miguel do you not see that no Judge
then will fsd him guilty OF willful and
pre- nedit ated crime ?"
Then why does not that woman come
forward" she retorted with the first sign
of vehemence. noticeable>in.the CULVER OF
he- voice and the sudden flush in her pale
cheeks. why does she not speak.-she
for whose sake his grace of Wessex not
only took q. mans life, but is willing to
sacrifice his honor?'
''she seems to have disappeared said
his eminence. softly: perhaps she is dead.
Some say it was you" he added. leaning
slightly forward and dropping his voice to
whisper.
They lie.". she replied. II was not
there. It's not for me his grace OF
Wessex will suffer both death and dis
grace in silence
This time his eminence did not smile.
There had been a sudden flash in his eyes
at this quick. sharp retOrt-aA sudden nash
as suddenly yelled again. THIN his heavy
lids dropped; once more he looked pa
ternal. benevolent. only just. with a soup
con of sternness in his impassive face. the
aloofness of an austere man toward the
weaknesses of more mundane creatures.
Never for a moment did he reveal TO the
unwary young girl all that he had
guessed through her last unguarded
speech.
Her love for Wessex. that he knew al
ready! Its depth alone was revelation
to him. But her jealousy! How her lip
had trembled and her hand twitched
when speaking Of another. an unknown
woman. who had called forth in Wessex
that Spirit Of noble self-sacrifice. that i'm
notation of his own honor and dignity
which had finally landed him in GRIM
inal dock.
A weman's passion and woman's
jealousy! Two precious assets in his
emnence's present balance. He pom
dered over what he had learned. apd vic
tory doomed more certain than before. He
loved this present situation. the acute
tension of this palpitating moment. when
he seemed to hold this beautiful woman's
soul, bare and fettered. writhing with
agony and self-torture.
To dissect human heart. to watch its
every culver. to note the effect of every
soaring iron applied with a akillful hand.
then to achieve success in the end
through subtle arts and devices seeming
ly so full of benevOlence. yet instinct with
the most refined. most far-reaching
cruelty. This was the form of enjoyment
which more than any other appealed to
the jaded mind of this blase diplomatist.
The feline nature within him loved this
game with the trembling mouse.
But outwardly he sighed-a deep sigh OF
disappointment.
"Ah! If they lie.'' he said. gentle tone
Of melancholy pervading his entire atti-
tude. IF indeed it was not you. my
daughter. who were with Don Miguel that
night then naught can save his grace. lie
has suffered in silence. He will die to-
morrow in silence-and innocent"
He had risen from his chair and began
wandering about the narrow rOom-aim-
lessly-as If lost in thought. Ursula was
staring straight before her. The first
revelation of her present danger had
suddenly come to her. AS in a Hash she
sent for her in order 10 her for his
own ends. She felt that she was literally
in the position of the mouse about to be
sacrificed to the greedy ambition of this
feline creature. who had neither recti-
tude nor conjunction where his ambition
was at stake.
Yet after that one betrayal of her emo
tons she had made a vigorous, effort to
regain her self-control. Every instinct OF
and yet she knew already that she was
bound to succumb: TO what she could not
guess. but she felt herself the weaker
vessel of the two. He was calm and
cruel. passionlass and tortuous. while sbe
felt with all her heart and soul and with
all her senses.
And though he could not now see her
face the cardinal studied her every move
ment. He could see her figure stiffen
with the iron determination TO retain her
f-possession and inwardly he smiled.
that rigidity would vanish. the marble
81 p TIE would become living CLAW, the