Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-09-05
Storyof Francis Cludde
A Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN
BY STANLEY ]. WEYMAN.

"ndt was he BOlrlB TO 90! was 90
deeply amazed by the interview that !
did not understand. had thought him
a wicked man, but had not conceived
the hardness of his nature. AS ] stood
alone looking around the vault 1 could
hardly believe that / had met and
spoken to my father and told him /
was his son--and this was all! / could
hardly believe that he had gone away
with this knowledge, unmoved and un-
repentant, alike unwarned by the Proc
idence which had used me to thwart
his schemes and untouched by the ben
eficence which had thrice held him back
from the crime OF killing me-aye, proof
even against the long suffering which
had plucked him from the abyss and
given him one more chance Of repent
ance.
/ found Master BERTHE in the stables
waiting for me with some impatience,
of which, upon the whole, ] was glad,
for l had no wish to be closely ques-
toned, and the account ] gave him of
the interview might at another time
have seemed disjointed and incoherent,
He listened 10 ii, however, without a
remark. and his next words made II
clear that he had other matters in his
mind.
II do not know what to do about
fetching the duchess over" he said.
This news seems TO be true, and she
ought to be here
Certainly" l agreed.
The country in general is well af-
fected to the Princess Elizabeth" he
continued. Yet the interests of the
bishops, of the Spanish faction and OF
some of the council will lie In giving
trouble To avoid this we should show
our strength. Therefore i want the
duchess to come over with all speed.
VIII you fetch her?" he added sharply,
turning to me.
will l?'' ! cried in surprise.
Yes, you. i cannot well go myself
at this crisis. viii you go instead?"
"Of course | WILL" / answered.
And the prospect cheered me wonder
fully. Ii gave me something to do and
opened my eyes to the great change of
which Penruddocke had been the her
aid, a change which was even then be-
ginning. As we rode down Highgate
hill that day messengers We're speeding
north and south and east and west to
Norwich and Bristol and Canterbury
and Coventry and York with the tidings
that the somber rule under which Eng
| land had groaned for five years and
more was coming to an end. II in a
dozen towns of England they roped
| their bells afresh; II in every country,
as Penruddocke had prophesied, they
got their tar barrels ready; If all. save
few old fashioned folk and a few
gloomy bigots and hysterical women
| awoke as from an evil dream; If even
sensible men saw In the coming OF the
young queen panaCea for all their ills
a quenching OF Smthfield fires a Calais
| recovered, a cure for the worthless
/ coinage which hampered trade, and a
! riddanCe of worthless foreigners who
plundered it, with better roads, pureI
! justice, fuller eXchequer, more IA.
! ..,,.,.l IL.
! this In that news of PenruddoCke's, was
1t not something to US also?
1t was indeed. We We're saved at the
last moment from the dangerous enter,
prise on which we had rashlY EN-.
! parked. We now had such prospects
before us only the success of that
| scheme could have ordinarily opened
Ease and honor instead Of the galows
and to lie warm instead of creakine II
the wind! Thinking of this. | fell int
a better frame Of mind as ! logged
along toward London. For what. afte,
| all, was my father to me, that his ex
I lstence should make me unhappy a.
rob mine of all pleasure? ] had mad,
a place for myself I'm the world. hat
earned friends for myself. He Nigh
take away my pride in the one hu
he could never rob me of the love O
the others-of those who had eaten ant
drunk and fought and suffered besid
me and for whom !, too, had tough
and suffered!
"A strange time for the swallows I,
come back" said my lady. turning 4
| smile at me as ] rode on her off side
1t would have been strange indeed
there had been swallows in the air 10
It was the end of December The road
were frost bound and the trees leaf
| Tl,n CT t,nA
its rush across the Essex marshes
whirled before it the last trophies @
Hainault forest and seemed as
whistled by our ears and shaved ou
faces to grudge us the shelter to whic
we were Fastening. The long train be
hind us-for the good aimes of whic
we had talked so often had come
We're full of the huge fire we expecte
to find at the inn at Barking our las
stage on the road 10 London. And
the duchess and l bore the cold NOR
patiently ii was probably because W
had more food for thought and perhau
thicker raInment.
DO not shake your head" she cor
tinued, glancing at me with mischie
in her eyes, land flatter yourself yo
will not go back, but will go on NAL
ing yourself and some one else w
happy. You will do nothing of III
kind, Francis. Before the spring come
you and | will ride over the drawbrids
at Cotton End, or / am Dutchwcn
am
'I cannot see that things al
changed" I said.
Not changed?" she replied. "Whe
you left, you were nobody. Now yo
are somebody, If II be only in havin
sister with dozen serving men /
her train. Leave it to me. And nov
thank heaven, we are here! ] am
stiff and cold you must lift me dow
We have not to ride far after Dime
l hope"
only seven miles" / answered &
the host, who had been warned by a
outrider to expect us, came runnin
out with a tail at his heels.
What news from London, Mast,
Landlord"' l said to him as he led l
through the kitchen, where there We
indeed great fire, but no Gimme
and to smaller room possessing bot
these luxuries. rs all quiet?"
Certainly your worhip," he replie
bowling and rubbing his hands. The
! never was such an accession, nor MOI
; ale drunk, nor powder burned-and
have seen three-and there was prett
shouting at old King Harry's, but n,
like this. Such a fair young quee
men report, with a look of the stol
: king about her, and as prudent ar
! discreet as If she had changed heaC
with Sir William Cecil. God bless he
: say ], and send her a wise husband
[ And a loving one" quoth my lac
J prettily. Amen"
/! Il am glad all has gone off well,"
! continued. speaking to the duchess
turned to the blazing hearth :.
: there had been blows, would fain ha,
, been here to strike one"
Nay, sir, not finger has waggt
: against her." the landlord answere
kicking the logs together, "to speak c
that is. your worship. / did hear toda
of little trouble down in Warwic
shire, hut it is no more than a storm
a washtub, / am told"
In Warwickshire?" said, arrestt
in the act of taking off my cloak |
the familiar name. I'm what part, n
/ man?"
Il am not clear about that, sir, N
knowing the country" he replied, "b,