Evening star., 1908-01-26

II heavy wish in my heart. that could
stay another twenty-four hours here. TO
see that no grievous harm shall come to
| him from all this
/ With a heavy heart he finally took up
| his cloak and bade adeu TO the two Span
! iards.
| Don Miguel escorted him as far as the
cloisters. until a servitor took charge Of
| his iordship. Then he turned back to the
audience chamber where he found his emf
! nence sitting plac!dly in hlgh-baeked
armchair.
| Marry. this was the most unprotitab'e
/ half hour | have ever spent in my lite,
uuoth the cardinal with a half-smothered
yawn and speaking in his own native
J tongue These English are indeed impos-
! sible with their scruoleS and Their con-
science. their friendships and their pre1u-
tiices. Carramba. what would become OF
! Europe if such follies had to be Dandered
| to?'
j BY the mass. It's a mighty lucky
| chance which hath sent thai blundering
| young fool to the frozen kingdom OF SCOT
land tonight" rejoined Don Miguel with
/ laugh.
Chance my SON. il an obedient slave
/ and a cruel mistress. Let us .oke her to
our war-chariot whilst she seems ans n
able to our schemes. III now rethe -
! chapel ana read my breyiary there unit
! her majesty hath need of rne for her even
/ ing prisons. Her curiosity will not allow
! her to dispense with my services loniSnt
! though she showed me the cold shouldet
! throughout the banquet. There $ good
deal which devolves upon YOU, my SON.
! Seek out his grace of WesseX AS soon as
you can. for the special interview which
we have planned. | pray you De iigh'-
hearted and natural. 1t should not be q
difficult task for Don Miguel de SuareZ to
play the part of a young and callous rep
/ rebate /. the while. will watch m. op-
portunty, and will have our dramatic
/ little scene well in rehearsal by the tine
/ the duke retires To his own apartments
He must cross this audience chamber t.
| reach them. There shall be no garlSh
| l!ght-on v an open window and the moon
/ If she Will FAVOR us. one snort glimpse az
the wench shall he sufficient. VIII con
| triye that il be brief bat decisive. loui
| talk with his grace will have paved the
way-l will contrive-chance will aid me-
| but ! will contrive.
The voice was changed. II was n1
longer suaye now. but harsh and ueter-
mined. cruel too. in its slow. cold mono
| tones. His eminence paused awhile. thei
said more quietly.
What is the wench doing now
Gazing in rapt admiration at her owf
/ face in the mirror" replied Don Mieue
lightly, 'and necessarily talking OF the
Duke of WeSsex, whom she vows she vii
see before the dawn. She mutters gooc
deal about the stars. and some danger
which she says threatens her dear lord
Ha. ha. ha,'
HIS laugh sounded hoarse and bitter
I and there was a g,immer of hatred in his
deep-set. dark Spanish eyes. There was
obviously no love lost here twlxt his
grace and these schemers. for his emf.
nence's bland righteousness looked jus,
now as dangerous as the younger man
hate.
Does she talk intelligently?'' asked the
cardinal.
.Intelligently? No" quoth Don Miguel
Awhile ago she ia ked intelligentls
enough but three bumpers of heavy Span
! ish wine have added her feeble wits by
now. / doubt me but the wench war
always half-crazed l thought SO when
saw her in that booth. coyered with tnSe
and uttering ridiculous incantat1ons.
She might prove dangerous, too. re-
marked his eminence. softl..
To the man who thwarted her-yes.
Then. if his grace should find out the
deception and. mayhao. were none toe
/ lenient with her. she would
! He did not complete the sentence. and
| after a moment or two said blandly:
In either case. meseems, chance is
shall see that the wench is provided with
/ a short dagger. eh ?-of English make-and
with unerring and poisoned blade
What?--''
There was silence between the two mer
after that The thought which now
reigned in both their minds was too dari
/ to be put into more precise words.
| Don Miguel took up a cloak. which wa:
! lying chair. and wrapped 1t round
| him. His emnence drew breviary from
| his pocket and settled himself more com
fortably in the high-backed chair. Dor
! Miguel turned to go, but at the door hi
paused and came back close TO where the
cardinal was sitting. Then he said quietly
rs your eminence prepared for that
eyentuality. too:
! we must always be prepared for any
eventuaiity. my son." replied the cardinal
gently.
Then he became absorbed in his brew
iary. whilst Don Miguel slowly strolled
| out of the room.