The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-17
I'M MARY'S REIGN
By BARONESS EAt1UykA ORGY
tcopyrigh 1907 by Emmusta orezy reserved)
By BARONESS EMMUskA ORGY.

q
! orcsy. all rights reserved)
Mary seemed desirous to keen Fer c!!sse
Ut hand, as contrast perhaps to tho
e ether 10y whish preyailed among
and gaiety. the hubbub OF many voiena
tho pleasant laughter and lively ban.
ter. two silent. ngures stood out in
IKE IN her white. draperies. her young
lsce expressive Of hopeless despair and
indIt eaaS s syes .h kept In cheek lest
cradle tale. and Wessex, moving like
an altomaton among his friends an
s snyeI'i s. at random trying with all his
Ing. his eyes from waIlderjnr' towargs
that beautiful statue. which now
seen seemed o. IKE he an exquisite carven monu-
No OF one me- so oW' MAN, vanished happiness.
G!ynde. She was the disgraced maid
of,honor. the fallen star. scarce worth
isoietion w hha ah ne was GLAD Of this
To- former friends created around her.
She looked for the last time upon the
e pomp i Ara pageant of this gitterins
the peace and seclusion of austere con-
vent wall. For the last time. too. she
Ioo oishad upon 10; tn man on whom she had
4 o.
mantle temperament whom she had set
UP on a pedestal OF chiyairy from
| which she felt 10th even now to de.
throne him.
She could see that he suffered. md
That ne did not understand The mig
understanding, which nothing could
Gear naas h up now. stili made veil of dark
ached for him. hor soul went out to
him. amidst all these people who
l nl and chattsd around her. For
one srisf m9ment their eyes net across
up with all the ardor of never fading.
passionate love. and hers spoke to him
cHAPTER XII.
! Poor Mirrnb.
few moments later the whole gay
liantly hned butterflies. had fluttered
The wint!ry sun was bestowingg ita
last cold kiss on. the terraces ana
b ssst Of the park. Beyond, the land.
aen n dsiGatc haze Of
arms OF this November afternoon. All
bird-song WAS silent. saw the harsh
ch,r rI OF aggrsssiye sparrows and tho
| occasional brisk note of an trrepres.
| sible robin.
Close by tho fountain strange. dull
group moved about somewhat listlessly:
i faded or ragged worsted nantes. shoes
| through which the flesh appeared and
/ mud stained. bedraggled hose. Truly
wondrous spectacle on the deiicately
| EraVeled paths OF the regal residence!
remarkable picture against the ma
iestic background OF carefully trimmed
hedges. or conventional well-cared -for
Strawberries.
They looked indfferentiy round them
| these poor shreds of socety-the
happy recipients Of uniooked-for royal
ditions of men and women here. from
the wrinkly-visaged bag who. piled a.
hardened. sulien tout. who made of Her
yagrant too. here and therer-one hoy
CARED features on which starvation had
young girl with bold. dark eyes and
coarse face. masked with glarIng cos
metics: and. far in the remote back
man in tawdry finery. with a torn. be-
Il draggled white dress iil-concealna her
naked shoulders. few scraps OF faded
Il ivy leaves still clinging to her bright
They were astoHished to find Them
selves here. made curious; senselsss
trimmed shrubs. the fish In the. ponds:
4 The whole thing was a puzzle. and
il poverty and hunger had dulled all Joy
Queens desire and at His Grace Of
Wessex's prayer they were to be i'm
mune from punishment for their pres
as to the meaning of this unexpected
clemency filled their benlghted souls.
They were at liberty. inasmuch as no
footsteps but hey they felt the tie eyes got Of
stern guardians, court lacqueys. or park
keepers fixed unrelentingly upon them.
So they did spot take special advan-
tage OF this so.calied freedom. nor %
. the permission 70 roam about at VIII
!, In Her Majestys own garden They
clung together In one compaet Group,
, of their common misery, and stared
, open-mouthed at what was nearest TO
them and reel'ired least effort of the
brain to understand.
number of rich. lords and ladies
emerge upon the distant terrace, they
beaten quick and general retreat; had
not one of the royal seryitors suddenly
called upon them severally to. listen. Z
. coming to speak with ye" said this
!, CONSCIOUSLY appareled parsonage, ad-
dressing tn" massed group Of mlsera e, e 2
apaee Arrives sas o 70 s so srf benz s
Ana silently; duly tisy Z. sb eyed.
and concentrated their attention after
, awhile upon tall figure. dressed IN
. rich black which had detached itself
8 from the brilliant groups on the ter
e So that was His Grace. the Duke OF
; WesseX! A serious-mfnded gentleman
J" surely but lately accused Of murder
; and proved to be innocent. They could
! not yet see his face. only his tall, ro-
' bust figure, moving swiftly towards
I them Strange. that noble Duke. q
rich and great lord. Should Wish to
e speak with them. The women. as II
$ half-ash AIMED Of their ragged kirtles
' had retreated behind the men. The
latter had doffed their. caps and Were
: mechanically passing their thin fingers
through their tangled hair.
v Quite In the rear. the female figure
In the bedraggled white gown covered
: against tho edge of the marble basin.
Then gradually His Grace came near.
f er the women ventured to peep at hin
t over the shoulders of the men. His
d face looked kind though very sad. The
Door people gathered I'D their courage
: to face him braVely. since he came al
unattended amongst them. One 0r two
ofsthe younger lads xentured as he a ?.