Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-07-10
Storyof Francis Cludde
ARomance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.
BY STANLEY ]. wEYMAN.

"a idHs WI - dtdn VI TIC IillliSAVis t1iAN
he Is, for some reason, very bitter
against YOU"
"The bishop of Arras? Granville, do
you a ?" / asked. / new the name
OF the emperor's shrewd and powerful
minister, by whose advice the Meth
erlands were at this time ruled.
THE same. He, of course. Is not
here. but his deputy is. Were ii not
for him-but, there, 1t is no good talk
ing of that" the Dutchman said, break
ing off and rubbing his head in his
chagrln.
One of the guards who had spent
the night with me brought me at this
moment a bowl of broth with n piece
OF bread In II. / could not eat the
bread, but | drank the broth and felt
the better for II. Having in my pock-
ct a little money, with which the OUCH
ess had furnished me, / put a silver
piece in the bowl and handed il back
to him. The man seemed astonished
n muttered something In German as
he turned away.
What did he say" l asked the
Dutchman.
'tOh, nothing, nothing" he answered.
But what was 1t? Ii was some
thing" / persisted, seeing him con-
fused.
"He-well. he said, he would have
a mass said for you Lindstrom an
swered in despair. 1T will do no
harm
NO; why should it?" / replied me-
chemically.
We were in the street by
this time, Master Lindstrom
and Van Tree walking be-
side me in the middle OF a score OF sol
diers. who seemed to my eyes fantastic
ally dressed. ! remarked. as We passed
out, a tall man clothed in red and
black. who was standing by the door
as IL waiting TO fall in behind me. He
carried on his shoulder a long broad
bladed sword, and / guessed who he
was, seeing how Master Lindstrom
strove to intercept my view OF him.
But ! vas not afraid OF that. i had
heard long ago-perhaps six months in
time, but II seemed long ago-how
bravely Queen Jane had died. And II
a girl had not trembled surely a man
should not. So ] looked s~teadfastly at
him and tool great courage, and after
that was able to gaze calmly on the
people. who pressed to stare at me.
peeping over the soldiers shoulders
and clustering in every doorway and
window to see mi go past. They were
all silent, and IL even seemed TO me that
some-but this may have been my fam
cy-pitied me.
j saw nothing OF the duchess and
might have wondered had not Master
Lindstrom explained that he had con-
trived to keep her in ignorance Of the
hour fixed for the proceedings. Her
husband was better, he said. and con-
but. for fear OF exciting him,
they were keeping the news from him
also. [ remember ] felt for a moment
sore at this. and then I tried to
persuade myself that It was right.
The distance through the streets was
short. and almost before / was aware
OF Ii | was in the court house, the
guard mad fallen back. and / was
standing before three persons who were
behind a long table. Two of
them were grave, portly men wearing
Hat black caps and scarlet robes, with
gold chains about their necks. The
third, dressed as IN ecclesiastic, wore
a huge gem ring upon his thumb. Be
hind them stood three attendants hold
a sword. q corsier and a ducal zap
a cushion, and abov and behind
all was a lofty stained window, whose
rich hues. the sun being low as yet,
shot athwart the corbels OF the roof.
At the end of the table sat a black
robed mar with an ink horn and spec
a grave still. down looking man,
and the crowd being behind me. and
preserving a dead silence. and the at
tendants standing like statues, /
indeed to be alone with these
at the table and the great stained
window and the solemn hush. They
talked to one another in low tones for
a minute. gazing at me the while, and
/ fancied they were ~astonished to find
me SO young.
AT length they all fell back into their
chairs. do you speak German?" the
haavwhAe natI AII.A-l-- 49, I
.gravely. He sat in the middle, with the
suhdean on his right.
mo, but speak and understand
Spanish" / answered in that language,
chilled already by the stern for
mallty which like an iron hand was
its grip upon me.
Good! our manner" replied the pres
ident.
II am commonly called Francis Car
ey, and | am an Englishman." The
~suhdean-he was a pale. stout man.
with gloomy e%yes-had hitherto been
looking at me In evident doubt, but at
this he nodded assent, and averting his
eyes from me gaZed meditatively at the
roof Of the hall, considering apparently
what he should nave for breakfast.
"You are charged" said the president
slowly, consulting a document, with
having assaulted and wounded N the
highway last night one Heinrich Schro-
der a citizen OF this town, acting at the
time as lieutenant of the night guard.
DO o admit this, prisoner. or do you
require proof?'
"He was wounded" / answered stead
lily, but by mistake and In error. IL
supposed him to be one of three per-
sons who had unlawfully waylaid me
and my party on the previous night be-
tween Emmerich and Vessel"
The %subdean, still gazing at the roof,
shook his head with a faint smile. The
other magistrates looked doubtfully at |
me-, but made no comment, and my
words seemed to be wasted on the sill |
ence. The president consulted his doc
urnent again and continued: you are
also charged with having, by force OF
arms, IN time of peace. seized a gate
of this town and maintained 1t and de-
cined 70 surrender Ii when called upon
so to do. What do you say to thatY'
1T is true In part" / answered firm-
ly. II seized not the gate. but part or
the tower. In order to preserve my life
and to protect certain ladies travelling
with me from the violence of a crowd.
which, under a MISREPRESENTATION. was
threatening 10 do us a mischief"
The priest again shook his head and
smiled family at the carved roof. His
colleagues were perhaps somewhat
moved In my favor. for a few words
passed between them. However. IN the
end they shook their heads, and the
president mechanically asked me II I
had anything further to sag.
"Nothing!r replied bitterly. The
ecclesiastic's cynical heedlessness. his