The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-16

road from Liverpool. ne was sittinB
over wine with a fashionable. be-rib-
boned. scented young exquisite whose
conversation plainly showed him to be
a young noble OF the royal court.
Ganlesse had introduced the other
by the name Of smith" But now
Julian heard him addressed as Chif-
finch. He looked at the fellow with q
feeling of disgust for having sat at
the same table with him and having
drunk with him. for chifflch was the
notorious pander and minister TO the
dissolute pleasures of Charles II.
The young Lord and the pander were
drinking prodigiously and their voices
grew louder as their condolences grew
more ana more free. Presently, as
Chifinch got drunk he fell to boasting
and Julian was startled at hearing the
name of Alice Bridgencrth. He fell to
listening then with all his might. with
the result Of learning that the man
Ganlesse was none other than Edward
Christian, and that he had induced
Major Bridgenorth to intrust his
daugh ter to him.
The rest of the conversation made his
blood rush to his head with rage so
great that he could hardly refrain from
running on the scoundrel with his
sword; for Chiflnch described the beau
~ Of Alice in glowing terms to the
n him that the design of Edward
Christian was to have her brought to
the attention OF Charles II, confident
that her charms would capture the
hckle monarch and overthrow the
French woman whom the loving mon
arch had made Duchess OF portsmouth,
and who wac highly unpopular because
of her Catholicism as well as other rea-
sons.
The young lord. eager to learn more.
pushed Chlfinch hard with wine. TIL
the drunken fellow exposed the plots
in detail: how Christian, through tne
surrender of his niece to the King
calculated TO gain more power at court
and thus to be helped incidentally IN
his revengeful schemes against tne
Countess of Derby while the downtai,
~ the French woman would leave all
the anti-Papists a free hand with the
King. co,,,4-
ess of Derby, Chiffinch recounted MS
meeting through Christian with Pew
eril. and told with hiccoughs how they
had relieved him of hts letters after
he had retired. filing his sealski In
wrapper with blank paper. Boastfully
he tapped his pocket. meaning that ne
had them there.
Julian snatched his package ana
opened it. to find that the drnnkara
bad snoken the truth. Well" said
he to himself, when you take the
road tomorrow, shall take them from
you again."
When Cl4ffinch. his head aching
rode awsa with his two servants. Jul
ian and Lance we're close at his heels
In a lonely road they closed in. AT
the first burst they road down the two
servants. Peveril threw the pander
to the ground and held pistol to his
head. The argument was suff1cient'
Before the servants could make up
their minds to act Peveril and his
companion were squirting away.
Julian arrived in London without
further adventure ana at once set
about delivering the letters. Among
them was one addressed to priest
in an ancient building called the Sa-
voy. Peveril was aware or the dan
ger he incurred in seeking him, hut
went there none the less. He was just
about to knock at the mans door in
the dark passage where he dwelled'
when his cloak was pulled. He turned.
and to his unspeakable astonishment
beheld the face of a girl whom the
Countess of Derby had brought up
little Fenella, a girl OF striking beauty
but deaf and dumb. The Countess had
bought her liberty from stroliing
performer and had kept her about her
person for years.
'FenellaP cried Peveril. forgetting
that she could not hear
The mute put her finger to her lips
and beckoned to him to follow. 1mag-
lining that she had been sent by the
Countess, he did so. The girl led him
away from the building and into the
Mall. There. as is OF set purpose. she
approached a group of richly dressed
men. One was playing mute. An
other, whom Peveril at once recognized
as the King. was tapping time with
his foot.
Fenelia began to dance. swaying
rhvthuaIcally with the music. and
Charles, always keen for new enter
tainment, looked on with delight, as
the graceful little beauty whirled and
turned. When the dance was done he
commanded one OF his people to give
some gold TO her and to her compau-
ion.
Peveril blushed and stammered out
that he was an envoy from the Count
ess of Derby.
''9oldr' said the King. THAT Is not
a dance for the public. Co with yon-
der gentleman and await me-"
One OF the retinue signed TO them
to follow. and led Peveril and his
curious companion to large house In
st. James Park. There they were
ushered into the presence OF q lady,