The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-07-23
Story Of Francis Cludde
ARomance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY J. WEYMAN
BY N Y J. WEYMAN.

That Cotton was not the place fol-
YOU exclaimed my lady %scornfully
He Is a sort of connection of yours, is
he not? Oh. 1 know, And he thinks
in the property. With you and your
father out of the way, and only our
girl cousin left, his interest is much
more likely to come to hand. Do you
see?"
recalled what Martin Luther had
said about the cuckoo. But I have
since thought that probably they both
wronged Stephen Gardiner in this. He
wa not a man of petty mind, and his
estate was equal to his high place. /
think 1t more likely tina his motive in
removing me from Cotton was chiefly
the desire to use my services abroad, in
conjunction perhaps with some remoter
and darker plan for eventually %devoting
the Cludde property to the church.
Such an act of piety would have beer
possible had Sir Anthony died leaving
MS unmarried. and would GER
talnly have earned for the chancellor
Queen Mary's lasting favor. | think 1t
the more likely to have been in his
mind because his inability to persuade
King Harry had much enriched US
was always a sore point with the queen
n more than once exposed him to her
resentment.
The ~strangest thing of ALL" the
uuSHCss continued, with alaCrlty,
seems to me to be this-that if he had
not meddled with you he would not
nave had his plans in regard to us
thwarted. If he had not driven YOU
from home, you would never have
helped me to escape from London nor
been with US to foil his agents"
"A higher power than the chancellor
arranged that" a Master BERTHE,
emphatically.
We'll. at any rate. / am glad that
YOU are you!" the duchess answered.
rising gayly. "A Cludde? Why, one
reels at home again, n yet she con-
tinued. her lips trembling suddenly and
her eyes filling with tears as she looked
at me. there was never house raised
yet on nobler deed than yours"
Go. go. go!" cried her husband, see
ing my embarrassment. Go and look
to that foolish grill"
Il will! Yet stop.' cried my lady,
pausing hen she was half way across
the floor, and returning, IT was forget
ting that I have another letter to onen.
1t Is very d that this letter was never
opened before" she continued, produce
ing that which had lain in my haver-
1t has had several narrow es-
capes. But this time / vow I will see
inside 1t. You give me leave?'
oh, yes" I said, smiling. 81 wash
hands Of it. Whoever h Mistress
@ioAS ~ WIIOIll IL IL addressed. may
be, 1t is enough that her name is Clar-
ence. We have suffered too much at
his hands"
Il open it. then" my lady cried dra-
matically. / nodded. She took her hus-
bands dagger and cut the green silk
which bound the packet and opened
and read.
Only a few words. Then she stopped
looking off the paper. shivered. Il
do not understand this" she murmured.
Wha does it mean?"
No good. I'll be sworn" Master
BERTHE replied, gazing at her eagerly.
Read it aloud, Katherine"
ITO Mistress A. b I am adj
by my trusty agent, Master
clarence, that he hail benefited much
your aid in the matter in which /
have employed him.. Such service goeth
always for much, and never for naught,
with me. In which belief confirm your
self. For the present. working with
him as heretofore. be secret, and on no
let your true sentiments come
light. So o will be the more valu-
abi to me. even as it is more easy to
lnfasten a barred door from within
han from Without
Here the duchess broke off abruptly
and turned on us a face full OF wonder.
What does 1t mean?' she asked.
rs that ALP her husband said.
Not quite" she answered. returning
20 tt and reading:
Those whom you have hitherto
v have too long made a mockery
of sacred things, but their cup is fun.
and business OF seeing that thew
rink It lieth with me. who am not
wont to be slothful In these matters.
BE faithful and secret. Good speed and
ARE you well. ste. winfon,"
One thing Is quite clear" said Mas
ter BERTHE, slowly. That you and I
are thep persons whose cup is full. You
how you once dressed IN a
log IN g rochet and handled 1t before
Gardiner? And 1t is our matter in
which Clarence Is employed. Then who
= who has been cooperating with
and whose aid is OF so much value
TO him?,
Even q $ It is easier" I muttered
Ito unfasten a barred
from within than from without, "
What was 1t Of which that Strange SEN
ace reminded me? Ha, I had II. OF
Master Lindstrom's house, when Mis-
Anne had been seized with that
i'd fit Of perverseness and had almost
the door looking upon the river
m spite OF all / could say or do. 1t was
II that h sentence reminded me. ITO
whom is It Addressed" / asked abrupt
~.
T Mistress Clarence" my lady n
swered.
"No-inside. i mean"
sOh! to Mistress A. b Rnt
gives us no clew." she added. at
q disguise. You see. they are the
first letters of the alphabet.
So they were. and the initial
.etters OF Anne Brandon! / won
Tered that the duchess did not
see It; that she did not at once
her suspicious toward the right
quarter. But she was, for a woman
truthful and coniding. and
she saw nothing.
/ looked at Master BERTHE. He seemed
puzzled. discerning, fancy. how
strangely the illusions pointed 10 Mis-
Eress Anne, but not daring at once to
the Inference. She was his wife's
by marriage, albeit a dis
one, and much Indebted to her.
She had been almost as his " sister.
She was young and fair, and to asso-
clate treachery and ingratitude such as
his with her seemed almost too hor-
rfble.
Then why was 4 so clear sighted as
read h riddIe?g Why was I the
nrst tossee the truth? Because Il had
aeit fordays q vague and iii defined
OF the girl. / had seen more
he odd fts and caprices than had
others. Looking back now, i could
al 6IXEn - A--AA LxLL.E I'm AtIftt