New Britain herald., 1924-02-15
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

.--and in the sacred cause of art defy you to deny me--when will yoi hear what I have written?"
 Why, since your grace does mt so much honor, when you will"
 It was intixicating, this homage tc
 her talent from one of his gifts ana
 station, the intimate Of princes, thu close associate of kings, and it stified temporarily at least. the last qualn
 of her munitions which had warned
 her against this radiant gentleman l They had become so friendly and in. timate in this week, and yet his con. duct had been so respectful and cir. cumspect throughout, that clearly her instincts had misled her at that | first meeting.
 When I will" said he. '"fhat is 10 honor me, indeed. Shall it be to- morrow, then?"
 If your grace pleases, and you will ! bring the act ."
 Bring it? He raised his eyebrows His lip curled a little as he looked round the dingy green room. You | do not propose, child, that I should read it here?" He laughed in dis Hlissal ol tHe nOllol,
 But where else, then?" she asked, a little bewildered.
 Where else but in my own house :? What other place were proper?"
 But at your house .. Why what would be said Of me, your grace? To come there alone :"
 Child! Childl" he interrupted her, his tone laden with gentle reproach. Can you think that I should so lightly epxose you to the lewd tongues of the. town? Alone? Give your mind peace. shall have some friends 10 keep you in connteuance and to join you as audience to hear what I have written. There shall be one or two ladies from the Kings house; perhaps Miss Seymour from the Dukes here will join us; there is a small part for her in the play; and there shall be Some friends of my own; maybe even His Majesty will honor Us We shall make a merry party at supper, and after supper you shall pronounce upon my Laura whom you arc to incarnate. Is your hesitancy conquered?"
 IL was, indeed. Her mind was in whirl. A supper party at Well lingford House, at which in a sense she was to be the guest of honor, and which the King himself would attend! She would have been mad to hesitate. lt was to enter the great world at stride. Other actresses had done it --Moll Davis and little Nelly from the Kings House; but they had done it upon passports other than those of histrionic talent. She would have preferred that Miss Seymour should not have been included. She had no great opinion Of Miss Seymourfs con duct. But there was small part for her. and that was perhaps a suf- fcicnt Justification.
 And so she cast aside her hesita- tion. and gladdened his grace by con- senting to be present.
 CHAPTER VII.
 Thc PiIIdc
 On the evening of the day that had seen the meeting between Holles and Tucker. at about the same hour that Sir John Lawrence was vainly repre- senting at Whitehall the expectancy of closing the theaters and other places of congregation in view of the outbreak Of plague within the City itself. His Grace of Buckingham was sitting down 10 supper with a merry company in the great dining room of Waillngford House.
 Eleven sat down to table that was laid for twelve. The chair on the Dukes right stood empty. The guest Of honor. Miss Farduharson. l had not arrived. At the last moment she had sent message that she was detained for some little time at home. and that, if on this &C., count it shonid happen that she must deny herself the honor Of sitting down to supper his grace's table. I st least she would reach wallingford l House in time for the reading with 1 which his grace was to delight the i company.
 It was in part a fiction. There was | nothing to detain Miss Farquharson yoyond revival Of her uneasy intui- \ lions, which warned her against the 4 increase Of intimacy that would at- .end her inclusion in the Dukes sup per party. The play, however, was inother affair. There fore she would \ 70 time her arrival that she would | ind supper at an end and the reading tbOut to begin.
 His Grace found her message vexa- .ious. and he would have postponed I supper until her arrival but that his suests did not permit him to have his 1 5wn way in the matter. As the truth | Eas that there was no first act in existence, for the Duke had not yet written a line of it and probably never would. and that supper was to provide the whole entertainment, it 'oilows that this would be protracted, and that however inte she came she vas likely still to find ;he patty at able.
 They were a merry company. ard ls time passed trey grew merfier. There was Etheredrs. of course. the 4 real promoter of the whole affair. and