The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-06
cIlAprER xxxI.-continued.

Copyright. 1907. by. Emnusk
CHAPTER xxx1.-contnued.
Nay! II l could = began Mary
Iimpulslvely
Then she checked herself, determined
not to let emotion get tho better OF her
ere she hadtold him all that she wished
to say.
my lord Of wessex," she resumed
more firmly. will you try to think
that you arc before a sincere and de.
voted friend; not before your Queen
but beside q woman who hath nought
piness viii you try?, 80 :
The effort viii not be great he
replied with smile. ''Your Majesty'a
blindness hath OFT shamed me ere this
Ti1cn. II YOU value my friendship
my lord" rejoincd Mary vehemently
give me some assurance that to-mor-
you VIII retuto this odlous charge
which 10 brought against you"
T crave Your Majesty's most hum.
Die pardon" said Wessex. II have
made confession Of the crime imputed
to me and can refnte nothing
Nay. my lord, this Is madness. You,
land. !, you, to have done deed SO. foul
Bah!" she added with a bitter laugh.
twere grim farce II It were not so
terrible tragedy
Better men than have made IA lure
OF their lives. SO. pray you. think
Think no more OF you. dear lord
in her Voice ' * 'nn me! q thlns 81
nausht else since that awful night
when they came and told me that
you
!. There There was catch in her throat ; and
Irony OF fate!. The bitter satire OF
thnt wnnton god. called Love!
Wessex looked at this proud Tudor
Queen With deep reverence. in wi'ich
This lonely. middle aeeJ woman. pas
sinratc. self.wiled who loved him
with all the tenderness OF pert-up
MOTHERHOOD! Yet. try how he might.
lection With cold respect and deep bur
unf.npass'nned gratitude. Vet was NOT
her worth ten-tbousandfold more
great than that of the wanton, whose
Ina &c still filed his heart?
The one woman he honored. the other
he must perforce despise. and yet
suct, is the heart of man!-he was
more ready than ever to give UP life.
honor. a great name. and still greater
destiny. 50 that the worthless object
OF his whole teartad affection should
be snared nuhIic disgrace.
fIe would mot have raned Ursula
G'vrde In this chaste. virgin Kueen's
presence. the very remembrance. of
rroud end naughty az he was. he dwell,
on that memory. for It was the last
wttc'n he had Of her.
Mad. foolish. criminal. sublime Love.
to him than all the virtues Of witch
tti>erl WOMEN were carahle. and VIII list
Narv Tudor would have given him n
crown he found 1t sr-eetar fer to ac-
'e per Tr"ry 1er Irsua a. sake *
thoughts which went on In his mind
was reflected In his face. for Mary,
who had been watching him keerlv.
said after awhile with tone OF bitter
MY lord. I know that your silence
tanned out OF a chivalrous desire to
shield another M. a woman
II have considered" replied wesses.
firmly, "and 7 entreat Your Males
T., It's who eT,reat she e. 'nt nn,
we all are fools to believe in your
cock -and-bull story? a woman was
seen that night living from the palace
across the terrace Who was s
.
None OF the, watch could see
her face and the louis were too stupid
to run after her but there arc
those within this court at this moment
who will swear that that woman was
Ursula Glynde."
STRANGELY enough this was the first
time. since that fatal night that this
name was actually spoken In WesseT's
the cut 81 : q s lash across HE face. For
that one brief instant he lost his icy
Ursula has been Questioned she
continued. "hut she remains obdurately
your chjvalrv8in defense of a wanton.".
But already WesseS had recovered
Your Majesty is mistaken" he re.
Lady Ursuio Glvnde. and I defend no
one by confessng. my crime,
..Yo,''ll rot persist in that lnsen safe at
,s Be !; T fSi Nit a1a
by. nina own hand.
you'll recant it,
why should {? Twas done :, Will ",
inEX II ~, posssssl9n, Ct al my
youth recant tt" she persisted oh
''yyhy should 10"
because ask it Of you" she salo {,
WlCl1i Is ftit SSliLlcuS.s,S,E
e She rose from her chair and came
closer to him. Then as he, respect,
fully. would have risen too, she nlaced
a OBTAINING hand up on his should g +;
Listen, my lord" she said; "for I've I've
ws, ~ foolish gsfi Is ma
mock modesty3 should stand III the way
Of so great an issue i.Wou "
throw my soul. my future life. my
chances OF paradise. on that one STAKE re
inn OCence
;.yo,r Majesty I"
"rIay! I nray YOU. 40 not waste tn csc
few, valuable minutes in vain protes.
tations. which I'll not believe.
THERE'S not a sane man IN this count try
who th!rksayou guilty Yet on
this confession your dud ges and peers
VIII con denim you to death must
condemn YOU, SO that the law OF Eng.
lard is satisfied, Ind You, my 10 I'd. vii
suffer death4w'tha liegunon your ltp 8.
.The truth rejoired Wessex firmly.
.'twas I3killed the Marquee de Suarez."
4 "A lie, my lord, q lie" protested Mary
pas lonately, s"the first you've ever told.
tho last you'll be allowed to breathe
/. But lot It pass |, NJ, I'll not
torture your pride by forcing you to
repeat that lnonstrous tale {. agaln n,
Would could wrench her secret57 fro m
tile cownrdly lips Of that hussy
ohl Il Wesg Sau man ~ "a hi iin3.
broken on the wheel, tortured on the