The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-10


 When the Queen was informed with the elaborate ceremony due to so au- gust and splendid a condescSnsion, that the King had sent her a letter. she muttered with a gasp of joy: "A let ter from himl It saves mer'
 In six months the King had spent only twelve days near her side. Un- der the cover of etiquette and ancient rules they had taken away her be- loved German books and replaced them with Spanish ones. The birds she had brought from Germany had died-pois- oned, as she suspected. by the Duchess d'Albuquerque. Would she play cards with her attendants? The duchess courtesied humbly and represented that the Queen of Spain might play only with persons of the blood royal. Would she give little feast? The old duchess explained promptly that when the King of Spain is absent the Queen dimes alone. Would she go out? Alas! ex- plained the duchess. 1t was the rule - that none should open doors before her except he be a grandee and there was no grandee in the palace just then.
 Wearied to death, pining away with home-sckness, it came about naturally that the flowers that she found each morning on her bench should become the very center of her thoughts. They spoke to her of all she had left and of all she lacked. Gradually her reflections occu- pied themselves with the unknown donor. She kept the letter and read it again and again.
 Her pride as Queen rebelled against her weakness as woman. Many times she determined angrily to toss the missive and the blossoms into the fire. But when she saw the blood on the wall, and thus knew that the man who loved her had been wounded for her sake, she sue cumbed to feeling that she could not analyze, and treasured the lace as a vil- lage girl might have treasured bow from her lover
 The news that the King had sent her a letter came like a cry to awaken her from an ignoble dream. Eagerly she wait ed while the train of ladies and pages filed in the Duchess at their head. Al the back stood Ruy Bias, who hao brought it. He was dressed magnifcently His tall figure and his keen. nervous face drew the attention of the Queer at once.
 The Duchess dAlbuquerque presented i the letter with deep reverence. It wal opened amid a sacred silence. The Ouch ;t fn OnaAn ! It said:
 | Madam, the wind is very high here. ! have killed six wolves
 | Disappointed and humiliated in equally ! bitter measure, the Queen looked at hel royal husbands love message. Suddenly 1 she started. This is not his handwrit ! ing" said she.
 1 one looked at Ruy Bias and desired l that he be ordered to approach. He stoot before her. pale and trembling, and an ! swered her indifferent questions. until sh' 1 had succeeded in learning that he hat
 written the letter at the Kings dicta i tion.
 | Realizing what his answer meant, ant 1 overcome by terror lest he be driven iron ] her presence with the scorn and wrStl | that his presumption deserved he reelet l and would have fallen, had he not man 1 aged to stay himself on the back of ; | chair.
 | As he did so his cloak slipped asid and the Queen saw that his left hant | was bound up in a linen bandage At the same instant her quick woman | eye saw that the lace on his sleev' was the very same as the bit tha she was hiding in her bosom. In he trouble she put her hand to her breas