The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-16

pleokea 70 give her hand to Phsup II King of Spain.
 The Spanish Alliance, SO much dread ed by the patriotic faction of England, was all but an accomplished fact. Bit- ter disappointment reigned in the hearts of all those who had hoped to see an English peer upon the English throne. yet ali Wessex's friends were bound to admit that from the very moment when the Dukes aequtttal suddenly arensed all their dominant hopes, one look at his face had sufxiced to tell them that those Same hopes had been born but to die again; there stood man. broken in health and spir- its, tired of life, without buoynIicy or youth or that delightful vigor which made the name of Wessex sound a note of giadnese throughout the land.
 Even as he stepped down from the bar and hts fadh erents showered good wishes upon him, he looked twenty years older than he had done on that bright happy day, q fortnight ago, when. the exposure. of all eyes. the most brilliant ornament of that gor- geous court, he seemed to stand gmft- ing on the steps of the throne, gently dallying with . crown.
 Yet Mary Tudor. wilfully forgetting for the moment her pledge to, the Spaniards. longing to enjoy these last few hours wben she was still free. had showered smiles, fetoa. honors up- on the man she loved. happy to feel his lips pressed upon her hand in loyalty and gratitude.
 She had never inquired of him how much real truth there was in the story which Ursula uiynde had told in open court. Perhaps she did not care to know. She was, weak enough-rwoulan enough---to rejoice at the thohght of her rivals complete humiliation. She was content to let the events of that fatefui night remain completely wrap ped in mystery vaguely she felt that in some sort of way the elucida- tion of it would not be altogether det- rimentai to Ursula 0lynde; at the same time sho knew that never now could the young girl aspire to become Dueh-
 The scandal had been too greats and unless eome uhexpected and wonderful thing happened which would signaiiy clear urnulaa maiden fame. ehe would forever remain -under-the ban of thiA mystery whldhsf had besnirchSd her good name. .ssAe
 Ursula had been quite right whenshs asserted with bitter sarcasm that HiH Enainence the Cardinal ds Moreno game of puppets whEcn was now pro- ceeding within the precincts of the Palace. With the royal signature ap- pended to his bond. he felt that his poe sition as now iEnpregnabfe and he moved about among the English lords and courtiers as a vfce-regent would in the absence. of a Kins.
 The fact that q messenger from Scot land had arrived in the naorninE with news of the ambassadors Co the Queen Regent. without, any mention of either Lord Pembroke'b or Lord Everingham . sudden departure from thence, had completely calmed any fears he still might have of the latter's too sudden reappearance at Hampton Court. Tn any case now he had still soma days before him-during which he could coEsolid- ate his success. by establishing direct intercourse between King Phillip and the Queen of England. He hoped be- fore many hours had elapsed to obtain from Mary Tudor an actual letter, writ In her own hand. to her royal betroth- ed.
 Thus secure in his invulnerabls posi- tIon, the Cardinal had thought 1t pIu- dent ss well as expedient to accede to Ursula's wishes. which seemed very like commando, and he had used his diplomatic skill to good purpose In persuading Mary Tudor to allow the in- terview between the young girl and Ills Grace.
 At the same time His Eminsnce was sufficiently wary so to manipulate his puppets that the interview should be of the briefest: and in this he was like enough to succeed.
 It was In order to celebrate the hap py return of His Grace to Court that the queen had at his request granted a free pardon to all those who were to be brought to trial on the same day as the Duke. Two o'clock in the af- ternoon of this day. following the great event, had been fixed when all these poor people, vagrants and beggars mostly. one or two political prisoners perhaps, were to thank His Grace for their freedom publicly in the grounds of the Palace.
 The Cardinal, we'll aware of this. slxilfully working. too, on the Queen's sitll restive jealousy, had suggested to Mary that Ursula Glynde should await the Duke of Wessex in the Hall at af. teen minutes before the hour.
 "A quarter of an hour, your Ma iesty." he said insinuatingly. when first on that same morning he bad broaehed the subject fifteen short minutes dur ing which the breach 'twixt His Grace and a dlsgraced maiden can but be ir' retrlevabiy widened."
 "Your Eminence seems to think that desire a breach" retorted Mary with Tudor-like haughtiness.
 ''Far from me even to think of such a thought" rejoined the Cardinal, blandly; but as a faithful servant of your Majesty, soon to become a loyal subject when your Grace is Queen of Spain. I hold the welfare of all those whom you kdeign to honor very much at heart And l was thinking of His Grace of Wessex."
 What of him, my lord
 ''The Duke is proud, your Majesty; would 1t be well. think you. if girl of Lady Ursula Glynde's reputation were to become Duchess of Wessox7"
 "Think you she hath the desire?''
 "Chien sabeg" he replied guardedly, hut an your Majesty will trust my Judgment q brief interview with His Grace would soon scatter her hopes to the winds"
 Thus did this astute diplomatlst play upon every nbre of g woman's emo- tions. Ills calculations were made to a nicety; only the interview which ur- sula had demanded and no more!--this to pacify the young girl in case she became defiant. but the meeting itself was to be just short enough to avoid any harm.
 (Continued TOmorrOw.l