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

Fleece. Finally he was made Dude d Olmedo, and when he had attained this ! rank he was the unquestioned leader of the council and became it's president. | Scandal, never choice in the Spanish | court, having its tongue sharpened by | consuming envy, hesitated not to at | tribute the sudden rise of this young sun | to the Queens love; but all the spying | eyes in Madrid failed to find any proof Ruy Bias and the Queen, indeed, avoid ed each other zealously, and met only on | public occasions of state. So matters went on, Ruy Bias content merely to look at the woman he loved, and taking up the business of government furiously in or | der to crush the passion in his heart No word came to him from Don Salluste. The King, far from court, willingly permitted his Queen to have what favorites she pleased.
 | Six months had gone, when one day Ruy Bias .urst on the .affrighted coun- cu with accusations of robbery and em- bezzlement Fortified with proof, he drove | the nobles from court The Marquis de Priego. the Count de Camporeal and their adherents were exiled; and with a firm hand the man who had been lackey seized all the disordered affairs of Spain and set about to reform them. | The great deed carried the Queen away. l She had listened from her gallery to his 1 impassioned accusations of the men be- fore whom every one had trembled till that moment. Meeting Ruy Bias alone, she said words that brought him to her feet. Madly he poured out before her all the story of his love and-she listened.
 Don Caesar" said she, trembling, Il am the Queen to others, but to you hence forth I am only a woman. I know that your honor will respect my own. be- long to you with all my heart"
 She stopped and kissed him on the fore head.
 The news of Ruy Bias daring stroke brought Don Salluste to Madrid in haste. The exied nobles were his friends, by whose influence he had counted on return ing to power He hurried to the capital in disguise and made his way to Ruy Blas "The time has come," said he, when you must obey my orders again First, however, you must undo what you have done in council Forsooth, you seem to forget that you are not parsonage but only lackey.
 Silently Ruy Bias listened. Then Don Salluste proceeded to sound the young man on his relations with t.e Queen. In stantly Ruy Bias was aroused. Although he could not divine Don Salluste's plan his intuition told him that there was dan
 
 ter's bidding. q am still the all-pow- erfui Minister.' said he can crush you.''
 "Ah, yes" said Don salluste calmly. q foresaw that. You forget the letters tha you wrote"
 The two letters stood before the eye' of Ruy Bias in words of flame. The, had been impressed on his memory evel since the strange day when he wrot! them. Now all at once he understood thu undated letter that Don Salluste hae called a love letter.
 "If you do not obey me in every word, said Don Salluste the Queens nam shall be dragged through every gutter il Madrid within twenty-four hours, and will send her the letter in which Ruy Bla engages to serve his master as faithfu servant"
 q will do as you wish" said Ruy Bias heavily.
 'sThat is well' said Don Salluste. '' plan happy fate for you. Now go t the house by the palace and stay there , | waiting for what shall be. See that yo do not fail"
 He departed as he had come 'Wha