The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-03-05
Storyof Francis ludde
Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
nv STANIFY 7 NEWMAN
BY N Y J. WEYMAN.

III us. leaving his pale grim face t.
confront me-his face which seemed
the paier and grimmer, the more satur
nine n all mastering, for the darl
frame which set it off?
He did this" he continued slowly
which came to light and blasted him
he asked as the price of his service il
betraying me his brothers estate
impossible" ] Why
Sir Anthony
What of Sir Anthony, you would
ask?' the chancellor replied, interrupt,
Ing me, with savage irony. "Oh, he
was a papist. an obstinate papist! He
might go hang-or to Warwick jail
Nay, but this at least, my lord, is
false" | cried. "Palpabiv false! If my
father had so betrayed his own flesh
and blood, should | be here? Should
be at Cotton End? You say this hap
pehed eight years ago. Seven years
ago came here. Would Sir Anthony
There are fools everywhere the old
man sneered. When my Lord Hert-
ford refused your father suit, Ferd-
lna1ld began--it is his nature-to plot
against him. He was found out and
eXecrated by all, for he had been false
to all. He fled for his life. He left
you behind. n q servant brought you
to Cotton End. where Sir Anthony took
you n"
/ covered my face. Alas, l believed
him! /, who a always been so proud
OF my lineage, SO proud of the brave
traditions of the house and it's honor,
SO proud of Cotton End and all thai
belonged to it. Now. If this were
true. could never again take pleasure
IN one or the other. | was the son
Of a man branded as a t%urncoat and
an 1nforiner, of one who was the
worst of traitors. / sank down on
the settee behind me and hid my face.
Another might ave thought. less of the
h1nIu ar yvitI- .,N 49,, --- 4,
the world might have made light of it
us a thing not touching himself. But
on me, young as | was, and proud. and
as yet tender. and having done moth
ing myself, it fell with crushing force.
IL was years since / had seen my
rather, and / could not stand forth
loyalty n fight his battles as a son
his fathers friend and familiar for
a might have fought 1t. On the
contrary there was SO much which
seemed mysterious in my past life, so
much that bore out the chancellor's
accusation, that / felt a dread of it's
truth even before I had proof. Yet |
would have proof. Show me the let
ters!" / said harshly. s'Show me the
letters. my lord!"
You know your fathers handwrit-
lng?"
l knew it, not from any correspond
ence my father had held with me, but
had more than once exam
with natural curiosity the wrap
pers of the dispatches which at inter
ais OF many months, sometimes of a
year, came from him to Sir Anthony.
| had never known anything of the con-
tents of the letters. all that fell to
my share being certain formal mes
sages, which Sir Anthony would give
me. generally with a clouded brow and
q 1esty name that grew genial again
only with the lapse of time.
Gardiner handed me the letters. and
took them and e me. One was
enough That my father. Alas, alas!
wonder that l turned my face to the
shivering as with ague, and that
al about me, except the red glow of
me nre. which burned into my brain
darkness! 1 had lost the thing
valued most. 1 had lost at a blow
everything of which 1 was proud. The
treachery that could flush that worn
race opposite to me. lined as it was
With statecraft, and betray the willy
tonsue INTO passion seemed to me,
young and impulsive, a thing so vile
as to brand a mans children hrough
generations.
Therefore I hid my face in the cor
ner of the settle. while the chancellor.
gazed at me awhile in silence, as one
had made an experiment might
watch the result.
, You see now. my friend,' he said at
last. almost gently, that you may be
base born In more ways thar one. But
be of good cheer. You are young. and
what ! have done Q may do. Think
naught. Think of the old c~ardinai-my
master. Think of the duke Of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, l mean. He was a
plain gentleman. vet he married a.
queen. More. the door which they had
to open for themselves I Will open for
VOI1.-nnIU u1hnv1 yyOs, 49, f~- y ZEH
the man and be faithful"
what would you have me do?" I
whispered hoarseiy.
Il would nave you do this" he an
swered. There are great things brew
ing IN the. Netherlands. boy-great
need of an agent there, a man. stout.
trusty. and. in particular, unknown,
Who Will keep me informed OF events
II you will be that agent. I can procure
for you-and mo- appear in the matter
myself post of a and honor in
that. Master Ciudde2 A few weeks.
and you will be making history, and
Cotton En- will seem a mean place to
you. Now. what do o say?'
I was longing to be away and alone
with my misery. but I forced myself to
reply patiently:
With your leave I will give you my
answer tomorrow. my lord, II said as
steadily as l could, and I rose, still
keeping my face turned from him.
Very WE'LL" he replied, with appar-
ent confidence. Gut he watched me
keenly. as / fancied. II know already
what your answer will be. Yet before
you go I will give you a piece of ad-
vice which in the new life you begin
tonight will avail you more than sill
YER. more than goid-aye, more than
steel-Master Francis. 1t is this. Be
prompt to think, be prompt to strike,
be slow to speak! Mark 1t well! 1t Is
a simple recipe, yet 1t has made me
what am and nay make you greater.
Now gon!'
He pointed to the little door opening
on o staircase. and / bowed and went
out. closing it carefully behind me. or
the stairs, moving biindly In the dark,
l fell over some one who lay sleeping
there and who clutched at my leg. ]
him off. however, with an ex-
OF rage. and stumbling down
the rest of the steps gained the open
ar. Excited and feyerfsh. I shrank
Win aversion from the confinement OF
my room, and hurrying over the draw
nrirse sought at random h long ter
race by the fish pools, on which the
Inoohiight fell. a sheet of silver, broker
Only by the sundiai and the shadows OF
a r~osebushes. The night air, weep.
iIlg entll from the forest, famed my
cneeks MS paced up and down. One
way i had hafOra INC fha =, /, ho,sS,