Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-08-22

|
my husband, welded to me three years
ago, but your father-your father. Ferd-
inand Cludde!"
CHAPTER Xxx.
] stood glaring at her.
You were blind bat, or you would
have found II out for yourself" she
continued scornfully "A babe would
have guessed It, knowing as much Of
your father.as you did"
Does he know himself?'I muttered
hoarsely, looking anywhere but at her
now. The shock had left me dull and
confused. / did not doubt her word,
rather / wondered with her that / had
not found this out myself. But the pos
sibility OF meeting my father in that
wide world into which ! had plunged
to escape from the knowledge Of his
existence had never occurred to me-
Had l thought of 1t, II would have
seemed too unlikely, and though
might nave seen in Gardiner a link be-
tween us, and so have identified him,
the greatness Of the chancellor's tran
sactions. and certain things about Clar-
ence which had seemed or would have
seemed had ever taken the point into
consideration, at variance with my
ideas Of my father, had prevented me
getting upon the track.
Does he know that you are his son,
do you mean?" she said. mo; he does
not"
Have you not told him7"
NO she answered with a slight
shiver
! understood. comprehended that
even to her the eagerness with which,
being father and son, we had sought
one another's lives during those days
on the Rhine had seemed so dreadful
that she had concealed the truth from
him.
When did you leam it?" I asked,
trembling too.
II knew his right name before I ever
saw you" she answered. Yours I
learned on the day left you at San
ton" Looking back, l remembered the
strange horror, then inexplicabl which
she had betrayed, and l understood It.
driven her from us! What will you
do now?" she said. You will save him? Z?
You must save him! He is your ia
ther"
Save him? shuddered at the thought
That had destroyed him; that !, his
son, had denounced him! Save him!
The perspiration sprang out In beads
on my forehead. II l could not save
him. should live pitted by my friends
and loathed by my enemies!
If II be possible" muttered, "I
Will save him."
You swear IT," she cried. Before
I could answer she seized my arm and
dragged me up the dim aisle until we
stood together before the figure and
the cross The chimes above us rang
IL. A shaft Of cold sunshine pierced a
dusty window and, full Of dancing
notes, shot athwart the pillars.
Swear" she repeated, with trembling
eagerness. turning her eyes on mine
and raising her hand solemnly toward
the figure Swear by the cross!"
Il swear" / said.
She dropped her hand. Her form
seemedato shrink and grow less. Max
ing a sign to me to 60 she fell on her
knees on the step and drew her hood
over her face. / walked away on tiptoe
down the aisle; but glancing back from
the door Of the church, saw the small.
solitary figure still kneeling In prayer.
The sunshine had died away. The
dusty window was colorless. Only the
red lamp glowed DULY above her head.
/ seemed to see what the end would be.
Then / pushed aside the curtain and
slipped out into the keen air It was
hers to pray. 1t was mine to act.
/ lost no time, but on my return I
could not find Master BERTHE either in
the public room or in the inn yard, 80
I sought him in his bedroom, where l
found him, placidly reading a book, his
with the feverish anxiety which had
taken hold of me. What is It, lad?"
he said. closing the volume and lay
ing II down on my entrance. You look
disturbed"
II have seen Mistress Anne" I an
swered He whistled softly, staring at
me without a word. She knows ALL"
/ continued.
How much is all?" he asked after
pause.
"Our ! cmes-all our names-Penrud-
docke's, Kingston's, the others-our
meeting place. and that we hold Clar-
ence prisoner. She was that old wom-
an whom we saw at the Gatehouse tav-
ern last night"
He nodded. appearing neither greatly
surprised nor greatly alarmed. Does
she intend to use her knowledge?" he
said. II suppose she does"
Unless we let him go safe and un-
hurt before sunset
They will never consent to it," he
answered, shaking his head.
Then they will hang" ! cried.
He looked hard at me a moment, dis
cerning something strange in the bit.
terness of my last words. "Come, lad,
| he said, you have not told me all
What else have you learned?"
How can l tell you?" l cried wildly
waving him off and going to the lattice
that my face might be hidden from
him. Heaven has cursed me-" ! added
my voice breaking.
He came and laid his hand on my
shoulder. Heaven curses no one" hi
said. Most Of our curses we make fol
ourselves. What is II, lad?"
covered my face with my hands
"He-he Is my father" muttered. "DC
you understand? Do you see what
| have done? He is my father!"
Hal" Master BERTHE uttered tha
| one exclamation in intense astonish
ment. Then he said no more. But tn,
pressure of his hand told me that h,
understood; that he. felt with me
Ithat he would help me. AnC
that silent comprehension, that silen
assurance, gave the sweetest comfort
He must be allowed to go, then, TO
this time" he resumed gravely, afte
a pause, in which ! had had time L
recover myself. I'VE will see to II
But there will be difficulties. Yo,
must be strong and brave. The trutl
must be told. 1t is the only way"
saw that 1t was, though I shranl
exceedingly from the ordeal befor
me. Master Bertie advised, when
grew more calm, that we should b
the first at the rendezvous, lest b,
some chance Penruddocke's order
should be anticipated, and accordingly
soon after o'clock, we mounted an
set forth. l remarked that my com
panion looked very carefully to hi
arms. and taking the hint ! followe
his example.
II was a silent, melancholy, anxiou
ride. However successful We might b
in rescuing my father-alas, that
should have today and always to cal
that man father-I could not escap
the future before me. 1 had felt sham
while he was but name to me. Ho,
could / endure to live, with his in
fanny always before my eyes? Pet
ronilla of whom I had been thinkin
so much since I returned to England
whose knot of velvet had never LEI
my breast nor her gentle face m
heart-how could l go back to he
now? / had thought my father dea
and his name and fame old tales. Blu
| the uears af faraiun liza x-hlch x.aa