Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09

hard in your judgment, mistress. She
knew nothing of home. very little OF kim
dred; born In the gutter. her ambition did
not soar beyond good food and little
money to spend.
The Duke of Wessex had saved her life;
she was proud of that and since that day
him again. She had hoped that warn
ing from the stars would prove a certain
passport to his presence, but his eminence
the cardinal and the other young gentle
man had assured her that q noble name
would alone lead her to him.
Thus she had been content to wait
few hours; the wine was good and the
foreigner not too exactinG. After while
she had dropped to sleep like some tired
animal. curled up on rug on the moor.
The cash Of arms had reused her. and.
finding that every door yielded to her
touch, she ran out, In eager curiosity. 70
see whence came the sound. Her first
cry on seeing that strange moonln combat
was one Of sheer terror. then she recog-
nfzed Wessex and gave him cry OF
warning.
But the wine which she had drunk had
made Der head heavy. She would have
liked to go to the duke, but the room
seemed to be whirling unpleasantly around
her. Ere she had time to utter another
word the young foreigner had roughly
seized her wrist and dragged her away.
She was too weak to resist him, and was
reluctantly compelled to follow ..s lead.
The next moment he had closed the door
on her and She knew nothing more.
Excitement had somewhat da1ed her,
but moment or two later she partially
recovered and collected her scattered
senses. She put her ear to the door and
tried to listen. but she could hear nothing.
Behind her was the corridor out OF which
the one which gave into the room where
| in she had been confined the whole even
ing. There was not a sign of my lord
| cardinal.
IL ne f1>o
big door in front of her: it yielded and
she found herself back in the room where
the fight had just taken place. The moon
| light still streamed in through the open
window. She could not see into the cor
ners OF the great hall; but straight In
| front Of her was another massive door.
exactly similar to the one in which she
stood
The room itself seemed empty. Wesse0
had gone and she had not spoken to him!
That was the one great thought which de-
tached itself from the turmoil which WAS
going on in her brain. The door opposite
fascinated her. Perhaps he had gone
through there! Nay! surely SO. for it
almost seemed to her as II she could hear
| that strange. bitter laugh Of his still
| echo!ng in the distance.
| She ran across the room, fearful lest he
should disappear altogether ere she could
get to him. But even before she reached
| the door she felt her arm seized. her body
dragged violently back. BY the light of
the moon which fell full on him she recog
nized the young foreign lord.
| He had summarily placed himself be-
! fore her, and he held her wrist in a tight
grip. ,.,
| Mo-
Il will go to him."
you cannot"
He spoke from between his teeth, as If
| in fury Of rage or fear. she could not
tell which. but as she. poor soul! had
never inspired terror In any one she
quaked before his rage.
Just then she heard. as If in the room
beyond, a few footsteps, then a call.
"Come. Harry and after that the open
ing and shutting of a distant door. 1t
was the Duke of Wessex going away
somewhere where perhaps she could not
find> him again. and here was this man
standing between her and the object OF
her alteration.
with vigorous jerk she freed herself
from Don Miguers grasp.
Have a care. man, have care. she
| said, in a low. trembling voice In which
suppressed passion seemed suddenly to
vibrate. Let me pass. Or
Miguel curtly: another word and 1 call
the guard and have thee whipped as
disturber Of the peace"
| She started as If stung with the vers'
lash with which he SO oallOusly threat
ened her. The fumes Of wine and OF
excitement were being slowly expelled
from her dull brain. A vague sense of
bitter wrong crept into her heart; her
own native shrewdnesS!the shrewdnesS
F., of the country wench-made her diniy
realize that she had been fooled: how
and for what purpose she could not yet
comprehend
She pushed the tangled hair from her
forehead, mechanically readjusting her
cumbersome garments, then she stepped
close up to the young Spaniard; she
crossed her arms over her breast and
Io@ IA H,r1s1 tn
so no. my fine lord!" she said, speak
ing with strange and pathetic effort at
calmness. that's it, is it?-and do We
take me for fool. that do not see
ple-robed hypocrite there wanted to
make use Of me-you cajoled me with
soft words-promises-w you
tricked me. say. do you hear?" she
| 'tricked me that you might trick him
With all your talks of Ursula and Lady
the devil alone knows what We wanted
Well. you've had your way-he looked
cur-mangy' and dirty-Was that what
We wanted?-You've had your will-are
We satisied-what more do We want of
me?"
| Don Miguel, much astonished at this
unexpected outburst Of passion. gazed at
her with a sneer, then he shrugged his
shoulders. and said coldly:
Nothing. wench! His grace Of ives,
1 cannot allow thee to modest him: If
thou'lt depart in peace. there'll be
well-filled purse for theft not-the
whip my girl-the whip-understand!"
II will not go!" she repeated with
logged obstinacy. I'll not-Tll not
I'll see him just once-he was good to
mel love his beautiful face and his
kind white hands, want to kiss them
! Ill not go-I'll not-till I've kissed
| them-So do not stand in my way. fine
sir--but let me get to him
| The obstinate desire, half mania
now, had grown upon her with this
wanton thwarting OF her wishes. A
wholly unfettered passion seethed In
her. half made up of hatred against this
man who had fooled her and caused her
! to be spurned with unutterable con-
tempt by Wessex.
III give thee three minutes in which
| to get sober. my wenchr remarked Don
Miguel ,placidly AFTER that take
He laughed a long. cruel laugh. and
looked at her with an evil leer, up and
down.
After that thou'lt co." he said slowly
and significantly. but not In peace the
| palace watch have a heavy hand-fhree
thy shoulders bleed, wench-aye! III
have thee whipped TIL thou Ole under
it-so 20 now Or
He looked SO evil, so threatening. so
full Of baified rage, that instinctively
she drew back a few steps away from
him. into the gloom. AS she did SO her
foot knocked against something on the
| floor, while the sharp point or some IN
strument Of steel uenetrated through the