The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-03
THE. -
Storyof Francis C1udde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. WEYMAN.
CHAPTER x~1v-continud
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.

iD Oti'S sO0 INV I't -
happcned?" Master Lindstrom asked.
his voice, though he still remained be-
low. %betraytng his %perpelxity and UNI
happiness. Can I not do something?
This Is terrible indeed"
you can come up, If you like" ! an
sWered after a moments thought. But
you must come alone. and 1 cannot let
even you. friend as you are, see our
defenSes."
AS he came up T stepped pack and
drew the door of the room toward me.
30 that, though a little light reached
the head of the stairs, he could not,
standing there, see into the room or
discern our real weakness. l did not
d%istTust ~hin1-heaven forbid!-but he
might have to tell all he saw to his
friends below. and I thought it we'll, for
his sake as we'll as aour own, that he
should be able to do this freely and
without hurting us. AS he joined me
= held up a finger for silence and list
NO one had followed him. Then 1
turned and warmly grasped his hands.
and we peered into one mothers faces.
2 saw he was deeply moved; that he
was thinking of Dympfna and how 1
had saved her. He held my hands as
though he would never loose them.
We'll" / said as cneerfully as 1
could, have you brought us AN offer of
terms? But let me tell you first" i
continued, "how it happened" And L
SAItiilIcd tllitI we Illu MISTAKEN
the captain of the guard and his two
followers for Clarence and the two
Spaniards. rs he dead?' I continued.
NO." he is still alive" Master Lind
strom answered .%gravely. But the
townsfolk are furious, and the seizure
of the tower has still further exaspcr-
ated them. Why did you do it?"
Because we should have been torn
to pieces If we had not lone it," 1 an
swered dryly. You think we are in a
strait place."
do you not think so yourself?" he
said. somewhat astonished.
laughed. Tina is as may be- I
answered with an a%ffectation of reck-
lessness. THE staircase is narrow and
the window low. We shall sell our
lives dearly, my friend. Yet for the
sake of the women who are with us
we are willing to surrender If the citi-
zens offer us terms. After all, it was
an accident. Cannot o impress this
on them" added eagerly.
He shook his head. "They will not
hear reason" he said.
Then l replied, Empress the other
thing upon them. Tell them that our
swords are sharp and we are desper-
ate"
y VIII see hat I can do" he an
severed slowly. 9TH Duke of Cloves
Is expected here tomorrow. and the
toWnsfolk feel they would be disgraced
forever If he should find their gate held
10y q party of ~marauders, as they con-
slider you"
"The Duke of Cleves?" 1 repeated.
rPerhaps he may be better affected to-
ward u.s."
"They will you before he
comes, Master 14indstrom answered
i~despondentlS. II would put no trust in
him II l We're you. But l. will go to
them, and, believe me. 1 will do ali that
man can do"
that I am sure I said warmly.
And then c%autioning me to remain
strictly on the defensive. he left me.
Before his footsteps had ceased to
echo on the stairs the door beside me
opened. and Mistress Anne appeared at
IT. I saw at once that his familiar
voice hal reused her from the stupor
iof fear in which I had last seen her.
Her eyes We're bright; her Whole frame
was tAiilling with excitement, hope,
suspense. l began to understand her,
TO discern beneath the disguise thrown
over 1t in ordinary times by a strong
viii the nervous nature which was al
ways confident or. despairing, which
felt everything SO MISUNDERSTANDING,
that is. which touched itself. "Well?'
lshe cried. "Well?'
"Patience! Patience!" I replied rath-
,er sharply. ]. could not help comparing
her conduct with that of the duchess
n blaming her not for her timidity.
but for the selhshness which she had
betrayed in her fear. I could fancy
.Petronilla trembling and a coward, but
not despatring, nor utterly cast down,
nor useless when others needed her,
,nor wrapped in her terrors to the
|! said. H is coming back. He and
his friends will do all they can for
U.S.. We must wait awhile and hope
and keep a good lookout,
she had her hand on the door. and
by an abrup:snovement she slipped out
ITO ire anHWolnSa1 n hoHinIN HON W.. l..
Imadelthe staircase so dark that I could
no longer distinguish her face. but !
Judged from her tone that her fears
were regafning possession of her. "Clar-
trembling. Have you thought of him
Could not he help us? He may have
followed us here and may be here now.
NOW; And perhaps he does not know
an what danger we are"
.Clarence'" ! said, %astonished and al
back, girl go back. You are mad. He
would be more likely to complete our
ruin. Go in n nurse the baby"
added bitterly.
What could she mean? I asked my.
self when she had gone in. Was there
anything in her suggestion? would
clarence follow us hither? If so, and II
ne should come in time. would he have
power to help us. using such myster.
lou influence, Spanish or English, as
* LAY SSAACN : pOSSeSS |: AnOs II he could
help US, would 1t be better to fan into
mis- hands h into those Of the exas.
perated S%antonese? I thought the
duchess would say Not"
So 1t mattered not what I answered
myself. I Il hoped. now Master Lindstrom
had appeared, that the women would
BE allowed to go free. and it seemed
to me that to surrender to Clarence
would be to hand over the duchess tf
her Enemy simply that the rest OF u.
might escape.
Master Llndstrom returned while
was still considering this, and observ
ing the same precautions as before
bade him join me. "Well.' I said. no
90 impetutously. I hope, as Mistres,
Anne. yet dare say with a good dea
OF eagerness. well. what do they say?'
Fol he was slow to speak.
II have bad news,' he
gently.
"Ah." I calculated. a lump whicl
was due as much to rage as to an
other emotion rising in my throat. IS,
they will give us no terms? Then 8
30 1t! Let them come and take u.s.
may" he hastened to answer. II
q not SO bad as that. adj. They ar
fathers and husbandc themselves, an,
not l~anzknechts. They will suffer tn
women to go free and will evan lef m