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Show i Tajr- THE LION'S WHELP A Slory of Cromwell's Time BY AMELIA E. BARR. Author of MTho Dow of Orange Ribbon," "1. Thou and tho Other On," "Tho Maid of Maiden Lane," Etc. , (Copyrltbt, 1901, by Dodd, Mead &. Company. All rlshts rcsened.) CHAPTER XV (Continued.) Tho Dastilo! She had heard enough In Pnrls of thnt stone holl to mako her tromblo at tho word. All night she endured It, but In tho morning morn-ing she was resolved to throw tho Intolerable burden on some ono more ablo to bear It. Hut on whom? Sir Thomas would not havo tho subject named In his presence, It would bo rruel to toll Jane, but thore was Cromwell. There was tho Protoctor. It was his business to look after Englishmen, En-glishmen, else what was tho uso of a Protector? Besides which, Cromwell Crom-well lovod Neville. Matilda could not toll how much or how little Cromwoll know of her 'meddling 'med-dling In a variety of plots against his life and government, but she expected her father's name would securo her an audience. Hor first requost, how-over, how-over, was mot with a prompt refusal. She was rot to bo daunted. If hor own name was not sufilclent, she had others more potent. So sho wrote on n card these words: "Lady Matilda do Wick has Important Information regarding re-garding Lord Cluny Novlllo; and for Mistress Jnno Swaffham's sako sho asks an lntervlow." This message wns Instantly effective. effect-ive. Whilo Matilda was telling herself her-self that "she would not do tho least homago to tho Usurper," tho door opened hastily, and ho entered her presence. In tho twinkling of an eye all her resolves vanished. Sho fell at his feet, and taking his hand kissed it, whether in homago or In ontrcaty, sho know not. "My lord," sho said, and then sho began to sob. "My lord, I cravo of you so many pardons so mucli forbearance for-bearance I will novcr offend again." Ho ralacd her with an Imperious movement, and leading her to a chair, remained standing at hor sldo. "Wo will forget tho past is to bo forgot for your dear father's sako. Quickly tell mo what you know, I am In a great hurry." Without ono unnecessary word sho rolatod all, and then put into his hands Prlnco Ruport's letter, with hor flngor directing his attontlon to tho terrifying postscript And bIio saw with fear tho rising passion In his countenanco, and for u moment trembled whon ho looked into hor oyes with such piercing inquiry that alio could not resist nor misunderstand misunder-stand tholr question. "Sir," sho cried, with a childlike abandon, "In this mattor I am single-hearted single-hearted as 'I can bo. I wish only to put a great wrong right." "You toll mo the truth, I hellovo you," ho ausworod; "and I will take upon rao to seo that It Is done. Say not a word to Jano Swaffham until there bo a suroty In tho mattor." Then bIio roso, and looking with oyes full of tears Into his faco, said, "Sir, I romombor tho day you pulled down tho hazolnuts for me In do Wick park. My father walked with you, arm In arm, and I had your hand until you lifted mo at tho gates and kissed mo. Sir, I entreat you, forgot for-got all that has como and gono slnco that hour, and dismiss mo now, as thon,"- and sho lifted hor lovely face, wot with tho tears of contrition, and Cromwoll took it botwoen hlB broad, strong hands, and klBsod It, ovon as ho had kissed It In hor childhood. "Go homo, my dear," ho said Boftly. "All that can bo dono I will do, and without dolay." Matilda curtsied and wont out. Thoro was In hor hoart a strong bo-llof bo-llof that this timo CromwoH'B inquiries in-quiries would ho as effoctlvo as they woro Bitro to bo prompt. Indeed tho first thing tho Protoctor ld, was to dlctato tho following letter to Ma zarln: "To Hl3 Eminence Cardinal Mazarlr. "Sir: In a manner most provldin tinl It has been made known to mc that lord Nevillo Is at this present moment In tho Dastilo prison? I know not why my friends should bo treated as enemies, seeing thnt ,1, have been laithtul to you in all difficulties. Trulj my business Is now to spenk thing1 that I will havo understood. The danger Is great, If you will bo sensible of It, unless Lord Novlllo be put at once In charge of those by whom I send this message. For if any harm como to him, I will mako inquisition for his life for every hair of his head that falls wrongfully to tho, ground And In regard to sending 'moro troops to Boulogne against tho Spaniards look not for them, unless, by the graco of God and your ordors, LorJ Novlllo Is presently, and without hlnderance, in England. Then, I wll stand with you, and I do hope that neithor tho cruelty, nor malice of an man will be ablo to mako void our agrooment concerning tho Spaniard, for as to tho young man's return, It is tho first count in it, and I shall I must see thnt ho Is rostored to that freedom of which ho has beer unjustly deprived. It cannot bo believed be-lieved tnnt your omlnoncy has had anything to do with this deed of sheer wickedness, yet I must mako mention of the Jewels which disappeared with Lord Neville, nnd tho money, and the papers. I havo some roluctanco to writ further about them, believing that you will look moro particularly than I can direct, Into this matter By tho hand of my personal friend, General Swaffham, I send this, and In all requisites ho will stand for "Sir, "Your Emlnency's "Most Humblo Servant, "OLIVER P." When this letter was sealed, ho sent for Israel, and telling him all that he had heard, bade him take twelve of His comrades bore him through the streets of Paris. tholr own troop, go to Paris, and bring back Cluny with them. Cromwell's summons affected Ma-zarln Ma-zarln llko thunder out of a clear sky. He had forgotten Lord Neville. "I will mako Inquiries," he said -to Israel. "In two or thrco days or a week " "I must bo on my way back to London, Lon-don, sir, In two or three days." "I cannot bo hurried, I havo much other business. You must wait'.' "Waiting Is not In my commission, sir. I am to work, or to relurn'to";Lon-don relurn'to";Lon-don without an hour'B delay Lord Novlllo Is particularly dear to 'his highness; nnd If my Inquiries moot not with attontlon, on tho moment. I am Instructed to wasto no time. Wo must thon conclude tho envoy of tho Commonwealth of England hits been robbed and slain, and It wlllbo tho duty of England to take redress at once." Vj "You talk beyond your commission." commis-sion." Lf, "Within it, sir." ,' "Retlro to tho anteroom. Thoy will sorvo you with broad and wino while I mako somo inquiries." "it is beyond my commission to ent or drink until I havo had speech with Lord Novlllo. I will wait in this prosenco, tho authority of your om-lnonco," om-lnonco," and Israol let his sword drop and leanod upon it, gazing steadfastly tho whilo into tho faco of tho cardinal. car-dinal. Tho twelvo troopers with him, followed as ono man, his attitude, and ovon Mazarln's carefully tutored coraposuro could not long euduro this sllont battory of determined hearts nnd fixed oyes. Ho gave 'Jnoccs- sary order for tho roloaso of Lord Cluny Novlllo, "if such a prisoner was really In tho Hnstllo," and sending send-ing a body of his own muskotoors with It, directed Israel to accompany them. Tho Governor of tho Hnstllo had bo forgotten Cluny, that his namo called up no recollection. He did not know whether ho was In the prison or not. Ho did not know whether ho wns illvo or doad. Tho very books of tho prison hnd forgotten Cluny. Their Koopor grew cross, and posltlvo of Novlllo's non-entering, as volumo aftor volumo refused to glvo up IiIb namo. Hut Israel and his men, standing stand-ing thoro so determined and so silent, forced him to go back and back, until un-til ho enmo to that fateful day when, boforo tho dawning, the young man i had been driven within thoso terrlblo gate3. "On whoso order?" naked Israel, .speaking with sharp authority. "On the order of his eminence Car-llnnl Car-llnnl Mazatln," was the answer. "I thought so;" then turning to tho head gaoler ho added, "you havo tho order for release. We aro in haste." "TIrao Is not counted here. Wo know not haste," was tho answer. "Then," said Israel, flaming into passion, "you must learn how to hasten. I glvo you ten minutes to produce Lord Novlllo. Aflor that time, I shall return to his cmlncnco and report your refusal to obey him." Tho gaoler had never beforo been accosted In such language As word by word was translated to his Intel ligence, ho manifested an unspoakablo terror. Ho left tho chamber at once, and within tho time namod there wero sounds heard which made all hearts stand still, tho slow movement of feet hardly ablo to walk, tho dismal clangor of iron, nnd anon tho mournful mourn-ful sound of a human voice. But nothing could havo prepared Cluny's comrades for tho sight of their old companion. His tall form was attenuated attenu-ated to tho last point; his oyes, unaccustomed un-accustomed to much light, would not at onco respond, they looked as if they had lost vision; his hair straggled unkempt over his shoulders, and tho awful pallor of tho prison on his faco and neck and hands was moro ghastly than tho pallor of death. Ills clothing had decayed; It hung in shreds about his limbs; but thoro was .i glimmer of I1I3 old self in tho pitiful effort ho made, as soon as conscious of human presonce, to lift up his head and carry himself without fear. "Cluny! Cluny! Cluny!" cried Israol; and Uien Cluny distinguished tho bull and steol uniforms, and knew who It was that called him. A long, sharp cry of agony, wonder, jjy, an-,sworoiI an-,sworoiI the cill, au ho fell sufiolcsa Into 'Israel's arms , Thoy brought him wine, thoy lifted him to tho open window, thoy laid baro tho skeleton form of his chest, they called him by namo in voices so full of lovo and pity that his soul perforco answered their entreaties. Then tho Governor offered him somo clothing, but Israel put It passionately away. Thoy woro worso than Bnby-lonish Bnby-lonish garments In his sight; ho would not touch them. Ho asked only for a public litter, and when It was piocurod, they laid Cluny in it, and his comrades boro him through tho streets of Paris to their lodging on tho outskirts of tho city. When thoy left tho gates of tho prison thero was a largo gathering of mon, and it Increased as they proceeded, pro-ceeded, a pitiful crowd, whose very sllonco was tho highest eloquence For they understood. Cluny lay prono and oblivious to their vision. They had seen him como from tho Bastllo. Ho was dead, or dying, nnd theso angry, weeping soldiers wero his comrades. Thoy began to mutter, to oxclalm, to volco their sympathy moro and more Intelligibly. Women, praying pray-ing and weeping audibly, Joined tho procession, and Israel foresaw tho possibility of trouble Ho felt that In somo way order must bo restored, and Inspired by tho wisdom within, ho raised his hands and in a loud, ringing volco, began tho favorlto hymn of his troopers; and to tho words thoy had been used to sing In moments of triumphal help or de-llvernnco de-llvernnco they carried Cluny, with tho solemn ordor of a religious service, serv-ice, safely into their camp. CHAPTER XVI. Oliver the Conqueror. "Cheer up, Jano! You -and Lord Neville will .yet arrlvo at tho height of your wlshos. This Is my Judgment, and if It bo not true, you may burn mo In the ear for a rogue" "And you will marry Cymlln?" "Faith, I know not how I am to help tho catastropho! But In all sobriety, I think Cymlln lovos mo, and you do, too, dear Jnnol Oh, I could weep my oyes dry whon I think ! of your dear lover, and all ho has so Innocently suitcred. It is lntol- , orablo!" I In hor way, Matilda was doing her best to console and oncourago Jano as thoy talked over tho sad fato of her rescued lover. Both had been weeping, and thoro waa a moro of-fectlonato of-fectlonato confldonco between them than had existed for many years. (To bo coutinuod.) |