The menace., 1917-07-14

moved to the opposite side OF the
table. He took the chair which she
indicated, while the Dona drew up on
the left. He saw that the two women
were deeply stirred, and he was mild
ly curious.
"You doubtless think this an un-
usual thing, Sir Heatherly, but
strange causes call for queer plans to
meet them. Those engaged in great
matters are subject to the unexpected
and the uncommon. You 60 soon.
knew this and felt that as true
knight, under vow to our Lady, we
should talk and consider plans"
"You refer to what we talked Of
the day Of the chaser"
"Yes."
"Then warn you, beware Of what
you say, for you know / have been
the mark for whispering tongues
since coming to court" he replied
smiling.
"A fig for all thatl Let the bab-
blers babble. From the queen down
you have the confidence of all who are
in position to know Of your record
as defender Of the faith"
Glow about Fitzhugh? I am told
he insists that / am a hereto in
mask" He searched her face closely
and saw flush mount to her temples.
"Sir Fitzhugh is a bold knight and
much given to deeds at arms, but he
Is committed to the overthrow of
heresy at all costs. think his atti-
tude toward you is the result Of cir
cumstances."
"And what are these? By heaven
l swear that, be he king or cardinal,
I will run the man through who chal-
lenges my loyalty to the church,"
Percy brought his hand down on the
table with a crash and his eyes
blazed.
"There should be no division among
the friends Of the pope" she replied,
seeking to soften his mood. "Fitzhugh
was for the time in very trying po-
sition. The Black Knight is to him
as another self. Both knew that
some one was to be set forth at the
lists as an example to stay the flood
of heresy which is corrupting the
/, court, but imagine his surprise when
|, he discovered upon whom the lot had
fallen. The lord-chancellor and the
queen were not aware Of the personal
I element in the case, 30 far as the
knight was concerned. This put hin
. where he could well be out Of sorts
I. at circumstances, while he might lool
! upon you as an object in the way II
t the working out Of his plans to de
' feat the heretics. Add to this gooc
, bit of personal feeling, springinl
from a mans fear that his private
wishes might be denied, and you viii
-, have the real foundation Of this mat
I ter"
E "Am to understand then tha
Lady Klare and this knight sustain
such relations as warrant his jeal
ousy2" Their eyes met in a glanc
g that was almost challenge. A ton
of defiant anger was manifest il
r Lady Beth's words when she replied
for It flashed through her mind tina
!. Percy might have personal reasol
i for asking the question, which woul
i put her at a disadvantage with bot
: men. The thought doubled the feel
! ing Of hatred she felt for the beautl
q full hereto;
= "As to that I can not say. al
y not under commission in such mat
Z ters, neither do live on the Severn
e but / have heard 1t whispered ths
. she shows q decided preference 70
Z him. It seems clear that it Is some
l. thing Of o one-sided affair, howeve,
y and I need not be q prophecies I
:. foretell that this fair hypocrite sha
y have her little day Of success eclipse'
~ am surprised that she could cut
.e large q figure at court"
. II think we did not come togetht
~ to discuss that" he reioined, his tor
n carrying the displeasure he felt {
the personal element which ra
through her words. What this lac
and knight may be to each other
nothing to me. Let US to our subject
An expression Of relief passed ov'
the woman's face, and she relaxed i
to q more friendly mood. The fei
which haunted her was in part di
PEELED by what he said. It is true tn
he had been deeply interested in Il
woman who had compelled even W.
sey to admit her keenness, but as h
: heresy became more manifest he h
drawn back from her on his ov
, loyalty to the church, and while
did not try to explain his unwillin
ness to deliver her up to the Inqui
. ton to be punished by the church,
) refused on the other hand to indul
!, whim which he concluded had be
based on a few strange circumstanc,
' True, she must be beautiful, and Du
D lev had declared her more chaste tn
the morning, but her belief cons
!, tuted a crime which threw ir
0 shadow all other things pertaining
r her. Besides, the woman across I
table from him was also beautif
s perhaps more 80 than Lady Kla
: he did not know as to that, for
:, had never been permitted to see /
r face clearly. BY all the tokens tn
Lady Beth should claim his first
s gard II either were to receive 1t. S
3 was all he could ask in matters
7 faith, and though it was pl;
Z enough that Ftzhugh was mu
u taken with her, and that she was W
: ing he should be, yet his own presel
: had seemed to be quite agreeable
her. He was mildly certain that
z could come to weave about this '
n man the golden meshes Of his hea
Perhaps he had done so alrea
e More, he dared to believe that she /
in a measure returned his feelin