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Show I THE LION'S WHELP 1 A Slory of Cromwell's Timo BY AMELIA E. BARR. Author of "Tho llow of Orango Ribbon." "I. Thou and tho Otlior Ono." "Tho Maid of Maiden Lane," Etc. (Copyrliht. 1WI, by Doild, Mead & Company. All tlilita tctennl) CHAPTER VII. -(Continued.) "Cromwell wants only that Parliament Parlia-ment should know Its own mind, and dcclaro Itwlf dissolved. God knows It Is high time, but Vnnc. and more with hm, would sit while life lasts. Martini, my heart Is troubled within mo. Havo wo got rid of one tyrant calling himself King, to glvo obedience obedi-ence to a hundred tyrants calling thomsolves Parliament? It shall not be so. As the Lord llveth, vorlly, It shall not!" Thoro was a meeting of tho Council Coun-cil at tho Speaker's house tho night after Israel Swnffhain's Indignant protest pro-test against Parliament, and Cromwell, Crom-well, sitting among those hclf-scoklng men, was scornfully angry nt tholr deliberations.' Ills' passion for public and social justice burned, and lu a thunderous speech, lit by flnshos of blinding wrath, ho spoko out of n full and determined heart. Then he mounted his horso and rodo homeward. CHAPTER VIII. Upon the Threshold. If wo bollovo that llfo Is worth Hv Ing, our belief helps to crcato that fact, for faith Is In matters of tho spirit all thnt courago Is In practical affairs. To Jane and Cluny this belief be-lief was not difficult, for limitation always works for happiness, nnd during dur-ing tho ensuing year llfo kept within tho bounds of their mutual probation and of Cluny's military duties, was full of happy meetings nnd partings; days In which Lovo waited on Duty, and ngnln, days In which Lovo was lord of every hour; when they wandered wander-ed together lu tho Park llko two happy children, or, If tlio weather was unfit, snt dreaming in tho stately rooms of Sandys about tho little gray house In Flfesliirc, which was to bo tholr own sweet homo. So tho weeks nnd months went by, and though thoy wero not nllko, they had that happy dmllltudo which leaves llttlo to chronicle. Jane's chief oxcltomeuts camo from her vIsltB to Mary Cromwell and Mntllda do WIclc. The affection between Jano and Matilda had tho strong root of habit as well as of Inclination. Thoy could not bo hapty If thoy wero long apart. Jano visited frequently nt Jovory House, and Mntllda qulta as frequently fre-quently nt Sandys. Ono morning in tho spring of 1G53, Jano was roturnlng from a two days' visit to tho Cromwolls. Tho air was so fresh and balmy sho wont to Jovory Jov-ory Houbo, ro8olved to ask Matilda to drlvo In tho Park with her. As alio went upstnlrB sho wondered what mood alio would find Matilda In, for thoro was a certain mental ploasuro In tho uncertainty of hor friend's loin-por. loin-por. Sho found hor lying upon a sofn In hor clmmbor, hor llttlo foot, prettily pret-tily shod In Biitln, showing just bolow her gown; hor hands claspod abovo her head, hor long black hair scattered scatter-ed loosely on tho pillow. Sho smiled languidly as Jano enterod, aud thon said: "I havo been expecting you, June. I coud not keep tho thought of you out of ray mind, nnd by that token I know you wore coming. Prny, whoro havo you been? Or, whero aro you golng7" "I havo been spending two days with tho Cromwells, nnd tho morning Is so fair, I wondered If you would not drlvo an hour in tho park. Do you know that Cyralln arrives from Iro-land Iro-land to-day? Ho would think tho journoy woll taken, If ho saw you at tho end of It" "You aro a llttlo Into with your nous, Jane That Is one of your faultn. Cymlln was here last night. He spent a couplo of hours with mo," then sho smiled co peculiarly, Juno could not help asking her: "What Is thoro In your way of smiling, smil-ing, Matilda? 1 am sure It means a story of ionio kind. ' "I Hhtill havo to tell you tho story, for you could never guoss what that Biullu waH mado of. Korst, however, what did ou see and hear at the Cromwolls." "I heard lu n passing uiiuiuur that Prince Rupert Is on the sons forovor that ho Is nt the French court, whore ho Is much mado of." ".Inno Swaffhnm, havo you no fresher fresh-er news?" nnd sho pullod out of her bosom ninny shoots of pnpor tied together to-gether with a gold thread. "I had this yesterday," sho said, "by the hand of Stephen, and I may as well toll you to prepare to moot Stephen do WIclc, for ho vows ho will not leave Englnnil again until he has speech with you." "Then ho Is forsworn; 1 will not Bee him." "It will bo no treason now to spenU to your old servant. Tho Amnesty Act will cover you. Hut I light not Stephen's battles; I havo enough to do to keep my own shnio of your friendship from fraying. Now, I must toll you bomcthlng concerning my-solf. my-solf. I am going to Franco." "Franco!" cried Jano In amazement. "Yes, Franco. I havu porr'iaded ni uncle thnt ho ought to go there, nnd look after liis affairs. I hnvo pcrsuad od my aunt that It Is not unto for my uncle to go without her, and they both know my reason for going with them, although wo do not nnmo Prince Kuport." "When do you go, Matilda?" "To-morrow, If Stephen bo ready. And let mo tell you, Jano, Stephen's readiness depends on you." "That Is not so." "It Is. I hopo you will bo definite, Jane. You havo kept poor Stephen i "I wish to see your face no more." dangling uftcr you slnco you wcro ton yenrs old." "What nbout Cymlln and yoursolf?" Then Matilda laughed, and hor countennnco changed, and sho snld seriously, "Upon my word and honor, I wns novor nearer loving Cymlln than I was last night, yet ho was novor Iohb deserving of It. 'Tls a good story, Jano. I will not pretend to keep It from you, though I would stnko my last coin on Cymlln's sllenco about the matter. Ho camo Into my prosonco, as ho always iIoob, III nt ease, and why, I know not, for n mnii moro handsome In face and llguro It would not bo oasy to find In England. Hut ho has bad maunors, Jano, confoes It; ho blushes and stumblos ovor things, and lou hU kerchief fall, nnd when ho trios to lie a gallant, m altos a fool of hlmsolf." "You uro tnlklng of my brothor, Matilda, Ma-tilda, and you aro making him ridiculous, ridicu-lous, a thing Cymlln is not, and never was." "Walt u bit, Jano. I was kind to him, and ho told mo about his llfo In Ireland, nnd ho spoko so woll, and lookod so propor, that I could not holp but show him how ho pleased mo. Thon ho wont beyond his usual jnnn-nor, jnnn-nor, nnd In leaving trlod to glvo mo a bow and a log in perfect court fashion; fash-ion; nnd ho mndo a silly apponranco, nnd for tho llfo of mo I could not holp a smile not a nlco smllo, Jano, Indeed, In-deed, 'twas a very scornful smllo, and ho cnught mo at It, and what do yon thipk ho did?" "I daro say ho told you plainly that you wero behaving badly?" "My dear Jane, he turned back, ho walked straight to me and boxed my H ears, for 'a Hilly child that did not H know tho dlffrmire between n man H and a coxcomb.' I swenr to you thnt I jH was struck dumb, mid ho hat! taken H himself out of the room In a passion H oio I could flutl n word to throw after H him. Then I got up nnd wont to a mirror and looked nt my ears, and H thoy weio sent let, and my checks H matched them, and for n moment I H wns lu n towering rage. I sat down, H I cried, I Inughcd, I was nmnzed, I H wns. after n little while, ashamed, and H dually I came to a reasonable temper H and acknowledged I had been served exactly right. For I had no business H to put my wicked llttlo tongue lu my H cheek, becattm1 a brave gontlcmnn H could not crook his leg llko a dancing H master, Aro you laughing, Jano? H Well, 1 must laugh, too. 1 shall laugh H many a tlmo when I think of Cymlln's JM two big hnudH over my enrs. Had ho H klRncd mo afterward, 1 would havo for- H xlvou him I thluU." H "I cannot help laughing n little, Ma- H tllda, but I assure you Cymlln Is suf- M feriiig from thnt discipline far moro H than you aro." JM "I am not suffering nt all. This M morning I nilmlro him. Thoro Is not M another man In the world who would M imve presumed to box tho Iady Ma- H illila do Wick's enrs; accordingly I am H in lovo with IiIh courago and self- H respect. I shall laugh and cry ns long M as I live, nnd remember Cymlln Swnff-- H "It wuh too had of Cymlln but very H llko him. Ho has boxed my cars " H more than once," M "You n ro his sister. That Is differ- M ent. I will never speak to him again. M There, let tho matter drop. I wish M row, you would either take Stephen M or solid him olT forever. 1 am in a M Infrry to bo gone, nnd Sir Thomas M also. Go nnd send Stephen with a M Yes' or 'No' to mo, I am become In- M diflerent which, since you aro so much M Many lottors wcro promised on both M sIiIuh, nnd Jano was glad to notlco tho M 'iigerness and hopo In her friend's M tolco and manner. Whatever her M ords might usuert, It was evident M sho looked forward to a great joy. M And ns long ns sho was with Matilda, M lano let this samo spirit anlmato hor, H iier lido home, however, was .set to a M moro anxious key. Sho wns a llttlo H uigiy also. Why should Stephen do H A'lck intrude his lovo upon her? H Twlco ulrendy sho had plainly told H him that his unit was hopeless, and H ho did not feel grateful for an af- H I'ectlou that would not rccognlza its limits, and wns determined to forco M Itself beyond them. H Sho entered Sandys with tho spring H all about her; her fnlr face rosy with M tho fresh wind, and hor eyes full of- ' M t'to sunshine. Cymlln nnd Stephen H wero sitting by tho llrcoldo talking of H Irish hounds and of a now bit for res- M Mve horses which Cymlln had in- H When Jane entered, Cymlln and jH Stcphon both roue to moot hor. Cym- H llu was kind with tho condescension jH of a brothor. Ho aixiko to her as ho H spoko to creatures weaker, than him- H self, and kissed her with tho air of a H king kissing u subject ho loved to jH honor. Then ho mndo an excuse to H tho stables and gnvo Stephen his op- H portunlty. Tho young man had kept H his oyo tlxcd on tho beautiful faco and H slender form of tho girl ho loved. Ho H wont to her nnd clasped her hands H and snld with a passlonnto eagerness," M "Jano, dearest! I havo come again to H nt-l; you to marry me. Sny ono good, H kind word, When you wero not as H high ns my heart, you did promise to H be my wife. I vow you did!" H "Stephen, I know not then what H mtirrlngo meant. You wcro as a H brother to inc. I lovo you yet as t H loved you then. I cannot bo your wife. H I mn already' plighted." H "To Lord Nevlllo. You shall never H marry him, I forbid It. I will hunt H him to tho gates of death." H "It Is sinful to say such things." H "Let my sins alone. I am not In tho H humor to bo sorry for them. I say H again, you shall not marry thnt scoun- H ilrolly Scot." M "Ho is not what you call him -far H from WM "I call things by tholr right nnmos. M I call a Scot a Scot, and a acoundrol, a M scoundrel." Ho throw hor hands far M from him and strode up and down tho M room, dospointo and full of wrath. jH "You shall marry no mnn but myself. H lief oio earth and heaven you shall!" H "If God wills, I shall marry Lord H Neville." H "Oh, Jano! I a!. nil go to total ruin H If you do not marry mo." H "Shall I marry a man who la not jH lord of himself? I will not," M "You havo mado mo your enomy. H What follows is your own fault." H '"TIs a poor lovo that turns to , hatred; and you enn do no moro than H joti aro let do." H "You will hoo. Ily my soul, 'tis H truth! Oh, 'tis ton thousand pltlos H you will not lovo mo!" H "It Is nowise possible, Stephen," PB Ho Hung hlmsolf Into n chair, laid MH his arms upon tho tablo and burlod 1 his faco in thorn. "Go awny, thon," H ho sobbed, "I wish to seo your faco no H moro. For your sake, I will hato alL H women forovor," H (To bo continued,) ' H |