Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-03-12
Storyof Francis Cludde
A Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.

shook him off, however, with an eX-
clamatlon of rage, and stumbling down
the rest of the steps gained the open
air. Excited and feverish, 1 shrank
! with aversion from the confinement OF
my room. and hurrying over the draw
bridge sought at random the long ter
race by the fish pools, on which the
moonlight fell, n sheet Of silver, broke
only by the sundial and The shadows OF
h rosebushes. The night air, weep
ing chill from the forest. famed my
cheeks as I paced up and down. One
way l had before me the manor house
the steep gable ends. the gateway
tower. the low outbuildings and corn
stacks and stables-and thanking these
the squat tower and nave of the church.
I turned. Now l saw only the water
and the dark line of trees which fringed
the farther bank. But above these the
stars We're shining.
Yet In my mind there was no star
light. There all was Il blur of wild pas
sions and resolves. Shame and an
angry resentment against those who
had kept me SO long in ignorance-even
against Sir A~nthony-were my upper
most feelings. I smarted under the
thought that I had been living on his
oiit ny. i ISliICIllOSL ~ IIleI1Iy a lIlllt>
when I had taken much on myself, and
he had smiled, and the remembrance
stung me. I longed to assert myself
and do something to wipe off the stain.
But should I accept the bishops of
fer! 1t never crossed my mind to do
so. He had Inundated me, and I hated
him for 1t. Longing to cut myself off
from my old life, / could not support a
patron who would know and might cast
i'm INV tnofh tho nll shnn,n <h},.1
reason. too, worked powerfully with me
as l became cooler. This was the con-
viction that. apart from the glitter
which the old mans craft had cast
about 1T. the part that he would have
me play was that of a spy-an inform
err. A creature like, dared not say
like my father, yet l had him in my
suspicion of this. ! shrank al the
burned puppy from the fre-shrank
with fierce twitching Of nerve and
sinew.
Yet if / would not accept his offer
1t was clear l must fend for myself.
His threats meant as much as that. and
l smiled sternly as found necessity at
one with inclination. L would leave
Cotton End at once. and henceforth l
would fight for my own hand. / would
have no name until l had made for
myself a ley n
This resolve formed. l turned and
went back to the house and felt my
way to my own chamber. The moon
light poured through the lattice and
fell white on my pallet. 1 crossed the
room and stood still. Down the middle
of b coverlet-or my eyes deceived
me-lay a dark line.
1 stopped mechanically to see what
this was n found my own sword
lying there. the sword which Sir An
fn0vNy 1n<4 vsvyat $500. 1-.A
birthday. But how had it come
there? AS l took 1T up something
soft and light brushed my hand and
dropped from the hilt. Then l remem
bered. A week before l had begged
Petronilla to make me a sword knot
of blue velvet for use on state occa-
sions. No doubt she had done it and
had brought the sword back this even-
ing and laid 1t there in token of peace.
kindlier thoughts came to me-thoughts
of love n gratitude, in which the old
man who had been q second father to
me had part. / would go as I had re-
solved, but I would return to them
when l had done a thing worth doing,
something which should efface the
brand that lay on me now. With gen.
tie fingers / d~isengaged the velvet knot
and thrust 1T into my bosom. Then
tied about the hilt the old leather
thong. and began to make my prepar-
ations, considering this or that route
while I hunted for my dagger and
changed my doublet and hose for
stouter raiment and long. Unframed
boots. l was yet in the midst Of this
when q knock at the door startled me.
WHO is there?" 1 asked, standing
erect.
For answer Martin Luther slid in,
closing the door behind him. The fool
did not speak. but turning his eye
first on n thing and hen on another
nodded sagely.
"Well?" I growled.
"You are of, master" he said. nod
ding again. II thought So"
why did you think so?" I retorted
impatiently.
at is time for the young birds ia
fly when the cuckoo begins to STIR
he answered.
I understood him dimly and in part.
You have been listening" said
wrathfully, my cheeks burning.
And been kicked in the face like a
we'll. 1t is better to be kicked by the
boot you love than kissed by the lips
you hate: But Master Francis. Master
Francis!" he continued in a whisper
He said no more. and / loked up. The
man was STOPPING slightly forward. his
pale face thrust out. There was q
strange CLEAN in his eyes. and his
teeth grinned in the moonlight. Thrice
he drew his finger across his lean
knotted throat. '.Shall II" he Kissed
his hot breath reaching me. ''shall I?'
I recoiled from him. shuddering. II
was a CHASTITY pantomine. and 1t seemed
to me that I say madness In his eyes
I'm heavens name. mol" I cried. mo!
Do you hear. Martin? MOI"
He stood back on the instant. as a
dog might have done being reproved
But I could hardly finish in comfort
after that with him standing there, al
though when I next turned to him he