Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-04-30
THE
Storyof Francis Cludde
ARomance of Queen Mary's Reign.
CHAPTER y11-continued.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.

try lad. Her former husband. Charles
Brandon. duke OF Suffolk. had been not
friend OF King Henry VIII. but the
kings brotherinlaw. his first wife
having been Mary, princess OF England
and queen dowager OF France. Late In
his splendid and prosperous career the
luke had married Katherine, the heir
css of Lord W~illoughby de Eresby. and
she 1t was who stood before me, still
young and handsome. After her hus-
band's death she had made England
ring with her name, first by a love
match with IA Lincolnshire squire, n
secondly, by her fearless and outspOken
indeed how h had come to be wan
dering in he streets at daybreak, an
object OF Il a n paSser's chivalry
md pity.
1T is simple enough" she said dryly.
Il am rich. l am a Protestant, n l
nave al enemy. When l do not like Il
person, l speak out. Do 1 not, Rich
ard"
You do. indeed, my dear" he an
swered. smiling.
And once I spoke Il to Bishop
Gardiner. What! Do you know about
Stephen Gardiner"
For l had started at the name. after
which l could scarcely have concealed
M knowledge if l would. So l an
swered simply. Yes; I have seen
him." I was thinking how wonderful
this was. These people had been ut
ter strangers to me until a day or twO
before. yet now we We're all looking u
together from the deck of a Dutch boat
on the low Dutch landscape. united
by one tie. the enmity OF the same
man.
He Is a man to be dreaded" the
duchess continued. her Eyes resting on
her baby. which lay asleep on my bum
die of rugs. and I guessed what fear
1t was had tanned her pride to flight.
His power in England is absolute. We
learned that 1t vas his purpose to ar
rest me and determined to leave Eng
land. But our very household was full
of spies. and though we chose a time
when Clarence, our steward, whom we
had long suspected Of being Gardeners
chief tool. was away. Philip, his deputy.
gained a clew to our design and
watched us. We gave him the slip
with difficulty, leaving u luggage. but
he logged and overlook us. and the
rest you know"
1 bowed. AS I gazed at her my adj
iniration. l knew. ShOne in my eyes,.
She looked, as she stood on the deck.
an exile and fugitive, so gay. so bright.
so irdOmitable. that in herself she was
at once y warranty and an Omen Of
better times. The breeze had height
ened her color and loosened here and
AAS q CJS5 VA e ADA lldlI. M
wonder Master BERTHE looked proudly
on his duchess.
Suddenly a thing I had clean forgot
ten flashed into my mind. and I thrust
my hand into my pocket. The action
was SO abrupt hat it attracted their
attention. and when pulled out a
packet-tWO paGkets-there were three
pairs Of eye upon me. The seal dangled
from missive. What have you got
there?" the duchess asked briskly, for
n wa a woman and curious. do
you carry the deeds OF your property
about with you?"
NO" I said, not unwilling to make
a small sensation. This touches your
grace"
"Hush!' h cried. raising one I'm
perious finger. 'Transgressing already?
From this time forth l am Mistress
Bertram. remember. But come" she
went on. cycling the packet with the
me?" I
I put it silently into her hands. INC
she opened it and read a few lines, her
husband peepfng over her shoulder. AS
h read her brow darkened. her eyes
grew hard. Master Bertie's face changed
with hers. and they both peeped sud
denly at me over the edge OF the parch-
ment. suspicion n hostility in their
glances. How came you by this. young
81? !" he a slowly. after a long pause.
Have we escaped Peter to fall into
the hands OF Paul?"r
No. no." I cried hurriedly. I saw
that / had made a greater sensation
than I had bargained for. I hastened
to tell them how / had met with Gar
diners servant at Stony Stratford, and
how ! q become possessed Of his Gre
dentials. They laughed. Of course. In
deed they laughed so loudly that the
placid Dutchmen. standing aft with
II fh0tH handa In fSnnea h.A@~A~-
stared open-mouthed ct US. and the
kindred cattle on the bank looked mild
~ up from the knee deep grass.
And What was h other packet?'
the duchess asked presently. "Is that
It in your hand?"
some reluctance. ut seems to be :
letter addressed to Mistress Clarence"
"Clarence!" she cried. "Clarence!"
resting the hand she was extending.
what! Here is our friend again. then.
What = In ii? You have opened 1T"
You have not7 Then quick. open
IT. exclaimed. This. too. touches
us. I will bet q penny. Let US pee at
once what It contains. Clarence In
deed! Perhaps we may have him on
the hip yet. the arch traitor!"
But / held the pocketbo0k back.
though my cheeks REDEEMED. and /
knew. I must seem foolish. They made
certain that this letter was q communal
ence himself under cover u ) feminine
address. Perhaps It was. but it bore 4
Womanss name. and It was sealed, and,
foolish though 4 might be. i would not
abekray tha wonnnss secret.
mo, madam. I said. confused. awk-
With ) secret obstinacy. "Pardon ~
tslf 4 d0 not OkeysYOu4 Il 40 mt fnHstNfr