The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-02-21

with a startling change from invective
to sarcasm-"who are you to talk OF
bishops, / should like to know?"
"One," I said sullenly, "who thinks
less OF cardinals INC bishops h some
folk. Mistress Petronilla!"
AYE. l know" she retorted scathing-
ly-"I know that you are n kind OF
half hearted Protestant-neither fish.
flesh nor fowl"
II am what my father made met" I
muttered.
any rate" she replied. you do
no see how small you are, OF you
would not talk of bishops. Heaven
help us! That a boy who has done
! nothing and seen nothing should ak
of the queens chancellor. Co! 60 on.
you foolish boy. and rule a country or
cut off heads. and then you may talk
of such men-men who could unnlake
you and yours with a stroke OF tho
pen! You. to talk so of Stephen Car
diner! 1Fie. fe, I say! For shame!"
L looked at her. dazed and b~ewildered.
and had long afterward in my mind a
picture of her as she stood above me.
IN the window bay, her back to the
light. her slender Iigure drawn to Its
full height. her hand extended toward
me. l could scarcely understand or
believe hat this was my gentle cousin.
1 turned without a word and stole
away, not looking behind me. I was
| cowed.
1t happened that the servants came
hurrying In at the moment with q clat-
ter of dishes and knives, and the noise
covered my retreat. had a fancy at
terward that, as I moved away, Petron-
lila called to me. But at the time,
what with the confusion and my own
disorder. | paid no heed to her. but
got myself blindly out OF the hal and
away to my w attic.
| IF NE a chor,, Io,co, p.A 90
tngs, when, being alone, I had time to
feel, need not be set down. After events
made them Of no moment, for l was
even then on the verge Of a change so
great that all the threats n misgiv-
lnss. the fevers and agues OF hat at
time. because in a few hours as Inn
material as the dew which fell before
yesterdays thunderstorm.
The way the change began to come
about was this: I crept in late to sup
per. facing the din and lights. the rows
with a mixture OF shame and sullen-
ness. I was sitting down with a scowl
next the bishops pages-my place was
beside them. half down the table, and
l was not too careful to keep my feet
clear OF their c~lothing-when my
than wa usual with him, even when
he was displeased. summoned me.
Come here. sirrah!" he cried round
~. Come here, Master Francis! I
have a word to speak to you!"
! went slowly. dragging my feet.
while all looked up. and there was a
partial silence. / was conscious Of
this. n 1t nerved me. For a moment
indeed. as l stepped on to the dais, I
had q vision of scores Of candles and
flashlights floating in mist, and Of in
Vulnerable bodiless faces all turned up
to me. But the vision and the misti-
ness passed away and left only my
uncle's long, hin face innamed with
anger, and beside it. in the same ring
of light. the watchful eyes and stern.
impass've features of Stephen Card
lner. The bishops face and his ayes
Were all saw then; the same face, the
same eyes, | remembered. which had
looked unyielding into those of the re-
lentless Cromwell and had scarce
dropped. before the frown of a Tudor.
HIS purple cap and cassock. the lace
and rich fur. the chain Of Office, I re-
membered afterward.
Now. boy" Numbered Sir Anthony,
pointing out the place where I should
stand, what have you to say for your
self? Why have o SO misbehaved
this afternoon? Let your tongue speak
quickly 90 you hear, or you will smart
boy!"
I was about to answer something
whether 1t was likely to make things
worse or. better 1 cannot remember
when Gardiner staid me. He laid his
hand gently on Sir Anthony's sleeve
and i%nterposed. "One moment" he said
mildly. Your nephew did not stay for
the church's blessing, l remember. Per-
haps he has scruples. There are peo-
pie nowadays who have. Let us hear
If it be So"
This time It was Sir Anthony who
did not let me answer.
mo, no!" he cried hastily. "Ns, no!
1t Is not SO. He conforms. my lord; he
conforms. You conform. SIR he con-
tinued. turning fiercely upon me, do
you not? Answer, sir"
"Ah!" the bishop put IN, with a
sheer. you conform. do you?"
II at II mass-to please my uncle
replied boldly.
H was i'll brought up as a child"
Sir Anthony said hastily. speaking in a
tone which those below could not hear.
But you know all that. my lord-you
know all that. 1t is an old story to
you. So I a and 1 pray you to
make, for the sake of the house some
allowance. He conforms. He undoubt.
eddy conforms"
Ucont,nueI N.x% N..LN