The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-08-28
-THE
Storyof Francis Cludde
Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY AMI J. WEYMAN.

What! Was there. after all. some
faint in my blood? Was 1 going to be-
come like him-to AXE to myself a
shame of my w earning in the effort
to escape from the burden of his ill
latne? l remembered in time the oath
l mad sworn, and when Kingston re-
peated his question 1 him
quickly. II did not know yesterday
who he was" I said. Il have discov-
cred since that he is my father. l ask
nothing on his account. Were he ONLY
my father 1 would not plead for him.
L plead for myself" l murlnured. "If
YOU show no pity, You make me a par
ricide."
had done them wrong. There was
something IN my voice, / suppose, as I
said the words which cost me so much.
which wrought with almost all of them
In a degree. They gazed at me with
aWed, wondering faces and murmured,
Ills father,' In low ones. They We're
recalling the scene of last night, the
homer when | had denounced him,
the curse he had hurled at me-. the half
told story of which that had seemed the
climax. l had wronged them. They did
see the tragedy of it.
Yes; they pitied me-. but they showed
plainly that they would still do what
perhaps should have done in their
~place-justice. He knows too much.''
said one. Our lives are as good as
his" muttered another. the first to be-
come thoroughly himself again. why
should we all die for him?" The wolf
lsh glare came back fast to their eyes.
They handled their weapons Impatient
". They We're longing to be away. At
this moment. when 1 saw I had indeed
made my confession in vain, Master
Bertie struck in. What he
said. "If Master Carey and take
charge Of him. and. escorting him to
4 his prcnt Vr3thn,1f Lo r..
both of them"
necks into the moose" Said p Kingsto npur
I'VE will risk that" replied my
friends. and what a friend and what a
crew! Il will myself promise you that
If he refuse to remain with US until
midnight or tries wherever we are to
raise an alarm or communicates with
any one I will run him through with
you?"
No Master Kingston retortcd: at
will not: A bird In the hand is worth
two in the bush!"
But the woman outside?" said one
timidly.
We must u that risk" quoth he.
IN an hour or two we shall be In hid
ing. Come, the lot must be drawn. For
this gentleman, let him stand aside"
I leaned against the wall. dazed and
III lliCheI NOW llaI l mad 1Oen-
titled myself with him l felt a great
longing to save him. 1 scarcely no
ticed the group drawing pieces of paper
at the table. My every thought was
taken up with the low door over there
and the wretched nan lying bound in
the darkness behind it. What must be
the horror. the black despair. the hate
and defiance Of his mind as he Law
there, trapped at last like any beast Of
prey? 1t was horrible! horrible! hor-
1 covered my face and could not re-
strain the cry of unutterable distress
which rose to my lips. They looked
round. two or three of them. from the
table. But the impression my appeal
had made upon them had faded away
already, and they only shrugged their
shoulders and turned again to their
task. Master BERTHE alone stood apart.
his arms folded, his face grave and
dark. He, too, had abandoned hope.
There seemed no hope, when suddenly
there came a knocking at the door. The
papers We're dropped, and while some
stood as if stiffened into stone others
turned and gazed at their n%eighbors.
1t was a knocking more hasty and
imperative than the usual mnlon
last a man found tongue. 1T is Sill
Thomas.' he suggested. With a sigh of
relief. is in a hurry and brings
news. | know his knock"
Then open the door. fool cried
Kingston. IF you can see through q
two-i'Nh plank, Why do YOU stand there
like a eaby?"
Master BERTHE anticipated the man
and himself opened the door and ad-
mittcd the knocker. P%enruddocke it
vas. lie came IN. still drumming on
the door with his fist, his eyes sparkl-
ing, his rudy cheeks aglow. He
crossed the threshold with a swagger
and looking at US all burst into q
strange peal of laughter. "Yoicks!
Gone to earth" he shouted. waving his
hand as If he had a whip in 1T. "Gone
to earth-gone forever: Did you think
1t was the lords of the council, m,
lads?"
He had left the door wide open behint
him. and we now saw In the doorway
the seafaring man who usually guarded
the room above. What does this mean
Sir Thomas?" Kingston said sternly
He thought, I fancy. as many of Us
did. that the knight was drunk. Have
you given that man permission to leave
his post?"
Post? There are no more posts.
cried Sir Thomas, with a strange ioll.
fty. He certainly was drunk, but per.
1aps not with liquor. Except good ia.
posts" he continued. smacking Mas.
ter BERTHE on the shoulder. "for Iowa
men who have done the state servic,
and risked their lives in evil times.
Posts? l shall get so drunk tonigh
that the stoutest post on Ludgate will
not hold me-up!"
"You seem to have gone far that wa,
already" my friend said colby.
$50 will you when you hear tn,
news!" P~enruddocke replied. more so,
berly. Lads. the queen is dying!"
In the vaulted room his statemen
was received in silence, a silence die.
tated by no feeling for the woman go
ing before her Maker-how should W,
who We're plotting against her feel fc:
her, We who We're for the most par
homeless and prescribed through her
but the silence of men in doubt, il
doubt whether this might mean all tina
from Sir Thomas aspect it seemed t,
mean.
: She cannot live a week." Penrud
docke continued. The doctors hav,
/; given up hope, and at the palace all i
in confusion. She has named tn
Princess Elizabeth her successor, an,
I even now Cecil is drawing up the proc
, lamations. To show that the game i
: really up the Count de I'eria, the Span
! ish ambassador, has gone this very da.
! to Hatfield to pay his respects to tn
!. coming queen"
] Then indeed the vaalted roof did rim;