The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-04-23
THE
Storyof Francis C1udde
Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.

Iedu she went away, ler husband 1Ol-
lowing her obediently.
l feared that she was ~grievously Of
tended. and l got up restlessly and
went across the deck to the rail on
which Mistress Ann was leaning,
meaning TO say something which would
gain for me her sympathy, perhaps her
advice. But h words died on my lips.
for as / approached she turned her
face abruptly toward me. and it was
so white. so haggard. 50 drawn. that I
uttered a cry of alarm. You are III"
| exclaimed. Let me call the duch-
ess."
She grlpped my sleeve almost fiercely.
'Hush. she muttered. d nothing of
the kind. I am not well. 1t is the
water. But 1t Will pass off. II 0 do
not notice 1t. I hate to be noticed" she
ADDED. with an angry shrug.
l was full of pity for her and re-
preached myself sorely. What a selfish
brute have been!" 1 said. you have
watched by me night after night and
hursed me day after day, and / have
scarcely thanked you. And now you
are III yourself. 1t IS my fault"
She looked at me, a wan smile on her
race a little. perhaps she an
swered family. But 1t Is chiefly the
water. / shall be better presently.
About that letter. Did you not come
to speak to me about it?"
never nina III noW,' l said anxious
ly. viii you not lie down on the
awhile? Let me give YOU nv
place." l pleaded.
NO. no." she cried impatiently, and
seeing I vexed her by my opportunity
desisted. The letter. she went on.
You will open 1t by and by"
No said slowly. considering. to
tel the truth. the strength of my reso-
luton, II think 1 shall not"
Won will vo, yuillf,, ,lz
WIN a kind of scorn. The duchess
VIII ask you again. and YOU Will give it
70 ner. Or course you Will
1er tone was strangely %querul-
Gus. and her eyes continually
dashed keen. biting glances at
me But l thought only that
she was i'll and excited, and 1 fancied it
was best to humor her. well. h
l shall" said soothingly. Possibly.
IT Is hard to refuse her anything, and
yet l hope l may not. The girl-it NAV
be a girls secret"
Well" she asked, i~nterrupting me
abruptly, her voice harsh and unmusi-
cal. What of herr" She laid her hand
on her bosom as though to still some
secret pain. l looked at her, anxious
and wondering. but she had again
aVerted her face. What Of her?" she
repeated.
Only that would not willingly
HuTt nef! L blurted out.
she dld not answer. She stood a mo-
meht' then, to my surprise, she turned
away without a word, and merely COM
handing me by a gesture Of the hand
not 70 FOLLOW walked slowly away.
watched her cross the deck and pass
aarough the doorway into the deck
house. She did not once turn her face.
and my only fear was that she was i'll,
more seriously III, perhaps. than she
had acknowledged.
CHAPTER VIII.
AS the day went on. therefore. T
looked eagerly for Mistress Anne's re-
TURN. U she appeared no more, though
maintained a close watch on the cab
m door. All the afternoon, too, the
duchess kept away from me, and /
reared that had seriously offended
her, so that 1T was with no very pleas
ant anticipations that, going into that
part or the d~eckhouse which served us
Tor a common room. to see il the even
ing meal was set, / found only the
iuchess n Master BERTHE to
SIT down to 1t. I suppose that some
-hlng OF my feelings vas expressed in
lace, Tor while l was yet half way
between door II table my lady gave
way to a peal of merriment.
Come. sit down and do no be
she cried pleasantly, her gray
still full Of laughter. Il vow the
az thinks l shall eat him. Nay, when
Is said and done, I like you the bet
Sir Knight Errant, for your
20 act up to your name. But that re-
minds me" h added in a more seri-
Gus vein. We have been frank with
'ou. You must besequally frank with
is; What are we to call you. pray?"
! looked down at my plate and felt
face grow scarlet. The wound
reachery had dealt me had begun TO
zeal. In the action, the movement. the
.dventure OF the last fortnight, had
veI night lost sight of the blot on nv
~scutcheon. OF the shame which had
,rfSen me from home. But the cues
What are we to call your" re-
wed the smart, and revived it with an
pang. 1t had beer very well. In
heory, to proudly discard my old
anne. It was painful In practice to be
TO answer the duchess: IT am
Cludde of Cotton. nephew OF Sir An
formerly esquire Of the body to
ing Henry. I am nc unworthy follow
T n associate even for you,' and to
I am nobody. / have ali to
make and win" Yet this was my iii
ortule.
Her woman's eye saw my trouble as
hesitated, confused and doubling.
What / should reply. Come" she said
,ood naturally. trying to reassure me.
You are OF gentle birth. OF that we
eel sure"
I shook my head. NAY. / am of no
firth, madam" I answered hurriedIv.
I have no name. or at any rate. no
lame that l can be proud Of. Cali me
.-call me-, II II please you, Francis
1T Is a good name,.' quoth Master
sertie, pausing with his knife suspend
q In the air. "A right good Protestant
But ! have no claim to IT,. / re-
more and more hurt. IL have
Ll to make. ! am a new man. Yet do
lot fear!!p I added quickly as / saw
] took to be a cloud OF doubt
by lady's face. II viii follow
gu no less faithfully for that..
GsNeH,' said the duchess. a smile
lEain transforming her omen features
4 VIII answer for that. Master Carey,
Deeds are better than names, ana as
or being q new man, what with Pagets
1sayendtshes and Spencers, we have
aeugntE but new men nowadays. Sal
snser up!1 she continued kindly. And
VIII poke no questions nj vn,,
lnough 4 doubt whether you do nof
possess more birth and breeding than
would have US think. And lie when
return to England. as / trust We
nay ne1ore we are DID men and women