Catoctin clarion., 1910-03-03
THE MASKED
WOMAN
By ALICE 7. SHERWIN
Copyright 1910. by American Press
Association


Cromwell there appeared in enc Cf the
stalls TOR shops. Us we would call ltlltm)
in the Regal tIlnsc, l.ondUn
masked woman who Suid small arii-
clps. such as glove. laces. neckvear
and ntlrr goods. called by the Bfi.Ons
haberda"herN.
Oie day he Marquis Of l.OrcntGn,
who sin the defeat of tie Cavaliers
had kr II hl!n rif ava, fruIn l.Onion,
passed that way. Tile estates Of his
fa Aer. the Luke of Ethclstone. had
been fUrfei,eL OI :.tcuu..t Of the fam
ily's alhere2cc to King harlc& l.. and
the marquis was in sad straits fer Il
living. He stUI.,,d III Ne stall 'f the
marked w"n;.n" ;% Sh" wa; uni} tr-
sally known. aud entered i"to CONFER
sation with her. rri ing 81 II art! les
Hs he saw on her cnu,lttr Then. with
il sigh. lie ,ulhru away. saying:
Il would fAin buy uS your goods.
mistress. hut am without means"
"s'ele, what you wish. sir. ard pay
when thtrli" ,Oilcl home"
Now. tha tnrm "when Charlie comes
home" at IL thu.c days when
Charles. eldest son Cf TIE beh""acd
king AMI lr. itiinatc heir to TIE thru.le.
is IL all. - II -u-nr his rights rs SOY
,rei'n e EH.',GnA."
81 see" gid the marquis, "hHt You
Are Il royal.3t. Mayhap you are. lihe
myself. an im"nveriShrd noble.
II an y roya!ist, bat | am simply
the nas!;ed woman r3kia@ an hone;t
living. These g.oves would. think.
1T YOU VIII you let me- try them on
your haEd:"
The marquis rcrmittcd her TO try
the gloves on him. but rot with the eN.
pcctaton of buying them. He liked
to feel her fingers en- his own.
"There." she said when she had fin.
iShed; Its Il perfect fit. Take them
and pay. rs said. when Charlie
comes home
But the marcnis stuhbornly refused
to accept credit. especially from
rommoncr. for the woman had said,
Il am simply the masked woman"
and he went away.
But there was something In the fig
nre. the voice. the carriage OF the
masked woman that appealed to him
in a way he could not account for.
Wherever lie went the masked woman
in fancy went with him. Waking or
sleeping. he saw her moving about In
her little booth and heard the sweet
sounds Of her voice
SO it was not long before he again
found himself mt her counter pretend
ing that he came to look over her
goods. though in reality he came to
get another glimpse of her.
"What can sell you this morning?'
she said.
Indeed. Mistress Masked Woman
Il know not your name-l am loung-
ing today. and like to come here t"
see you sell your wares. would that
could give you my custom: but.
alas, | have none to give. The Round
heads have taken my all"
"Mayhap they have spent it for
psalm books"
What they have spent 1t for know
not but this ! know-it is hard for me,
who have always had sutiiciency, to
get on with nothing"
MAY sell you the gloves today?'
"Alas, | have no more the where
withal to pay for them than when |
was here before"
The masked woman took up the
gloves the marquis had tried on the
day before and. making them into
pocEat bopIal than tn him
would you give Il poor woman
pleasure:" she asked softly
II would not rob poor woman" he
replied, drawing back.
II ask you to permit me to do you
this favor"
There was that in her tone which
appealed to him. He took the packet
and kissed the hand that gave 1t.
The marquis was seen no more at
the masked woman's stall after that
for some time. Then one day he
drove up in his carriage and pur-
chased the whole stock of the masked
woman. When she congratulated him
on coming to his own he told her that
a cousin had died and left him leg
acy.
When the marquis drove away he
did not take the stock with him. though
he left the money for it, That was
his last visit to the masked woman's
stall, for soon after ''Charlie came
home" There was great rejoicing
among the Cavaliers that after the
rule of the Puritans the rightful king
had returned from France Then the
masked woman disappeared from the
exchange.
But the marquis thought Of her by
day and dreamed Of her by night. Hi'
estates were restored to him, but he
was not satisfied, because he longed
for her and knew not where to find
her.
One evening he drove to fete given
by the king. The young dowager
Duchess of Abergild, whose husband
had fallen in the late war. was pres
ent and approached the marquis.
"Have you still the gloves?" she ask
cd archly.
The marquis recognized her voice as
soon as she spoke. 81 have" he re-
piled. but have never worn them.
hold them too precious to be used"
The duchess. having been cut of
from her income during the protecto-
rate, had the choice of emigrating to
france and there being supported by
the French king or earning her own
living. She had chosen the latter al
tentative.
Before the marquis came into the
dukedom he married the masked wo.
man.