The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-28

suade Hippolita to consent to a divorce or suffer his vengeance. He pretended to have some religious scruples concern ing the validity of his marriage with Hip polita, saying he had reason to suspect
 she had, before her marriage. been be- trothed to another. Father Jerome h,ust
 arrange that, and see that the church
 sanctioned the divorce. Marry Isabella
 he would; the perpetuation of his line re- | quired that he have male heirs, and he | had ceased to hope for more children by his present wife. He spoke of the young peasant and his rage redoubled. He suspected that he was a secret lover of Isabella
 Desiring to delay matters until the cen sure of the church could be fulmina ted against a divorce Father Jerome thought the wisest course would be to prevent the prince from entirely despalring of recov-
 erins Isabella and. knowing nothing of the young peasant except what he had casually heard and ignorant of what had become of him, he conceived that it might not be amiss to SOW the seeds of Jealously in Manfreds mind; they might
 be turned to advantage hereafter either
 by prejudicing the prince against Isabella
 should he insist upon tho union or, by
 diverting his attention to 0 wrong scent and, employing his thoughts upon @ visionary intrigue. prevent him engaging in any new pursuit. With this unhappy
 policy he gave such answers to Manfred
 as made the prince think that the friar
 was awed into submission to his will and that his suspicious regarding the peasant and Isabella were not witnout foundation. In brutal and abrupt manner Manfred now informed his wife of what hs ex- pected from her and that unhappy lady. broken by the weight of her misery and misfortunes, only begged that she might be allowed to retire to & convent and end her days in prayers and peace. Father Jerome, however. admonisned her to stand firm against the unhalloved designs of the prince.
 Manfred repaired to the great hall of the castle and ordered the young peasant to be brought before him. Sternly he bade him under penalty of torture to tell what part he had played in the escape of Lady Isabella The youth frankly told all. And for this." cried Manfred, flor silly girls report, thou hast dared to brave my displeasure?' T fear no mans displeasure.'' replied the peasant. when Q distressed woman asks my protection" Behind the seat of the prince ran lat ticed gallery through which the Princess Matilda happened to be passing with her af xub f,fr words. She paused to peer through at what was going on, and, catching sight of the youth. exclaimed "Heavens, Bi- anca how like he is to the picture of the good Alfonso As she paused in agita- ton the prince. frowning upon the youth, said: Take him to the courtyard for instant execution. The first news Isa- bella receives of her champion will be that he has lost his head for her sake." Matilda shrieked and fell fainting to the ground. Manfred treated the fainting of Matilda as a mere womanish panic, and .the peasant was hurried to the court yard. where the block was hastily pre- pared and the headsman stood ready.
 There is more in this young man than appears" thought Manfred, scanning his features closely; mo peasant bears him. self thus in tho face of death"
 The young man only asked that he might have confessor. Father Jerome i was still in the castle and Manfred, con
 vinced that the ffiar was in his interest. bade him be summoned. The good man
 was mortified when he saw what he re- garded as the result of his temporizing
 with the prince and bitterly reproached himself to the youth, declaring that he had been the cause of the undoing. He , pleaded with Manfred to renounce his cruel purpose, but the prince cried out. "I
 sent for thee to confess him, not to plead for him. Dispatch! I can no more be
 moved by priests winnings than by the shrieks of women" The youth removed his doublet and unbuttoning the collar ef