THE COMING OF THE KING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12699, 31 October 1904, Page 3

THE COMING OF THE KING.

{PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.]

BY JOSEPH HOCKING, Author of "The Purple Kobe," "The Story of Andrew Fairfax," All Men are Liars," "Islimael Pengolly," etc., etc.

CHAPTER (Continued.)

Again his eyes flashed fire, and I thought he was going to call his servants, and order that I should, be thrown in some dungeon. But again he mastered himself. "I have not made up my mind whether I shall give you the cap and bells, or send you to the most stinking dungeon hi Fleet Prison, Master Ilashcli&e," he said quietly, i "But of that, anon; .it present I am vastly enjoying myself. There is some reason in your mind which makes you think you can answer your King as you have answered him. You fancy you have some secret power over him. Come now, speak!"

" That- need-not be. Your Majesty, I was ever taught that a. snail's duty was to protect a woman." .

Again he eyed me keenly, and presently lie laughed quietly.

"Ah, I see,'' be said; "now I -understand. You 'have cast eyes on this pretty Constance, and seek to gain her favour by this means. I thought I should discover your motive. What! she hath looked coldly oil you, eh, and now you seek to win her favour. Ay, stud what is more likely to do t-his than to stand by her in her difficulty! Is a man likely to do aught but for self? Tell me, do you expect to win the fair Constance's love?"

" Nay I do not expect that," I replied. Ah, I see ! but you turns, —you hope?" and again lie laughed. " Well, and why not, blaster Easheliffe? The King is still King in spite of these accursed Puritans; and I tell you this, Charles 11. will not be ungrateful to loyal servants. General Monk is now Duke of Albermarle, is he not?" I was silent, for why should I speak? "Now then, suppose. I promise to look favourably on this - match, will you tell me where you believe this maid's sister is? Mark you, it will make no difference whether you tell me or no, for I mean to find her, if every house in England hath to be searched .from cellar to cockloft. Now, will you tell me?"

" No, sire."

" Ah; then there- is some other thought at the back of your brain. But mind, you are both making a whip for your own backs. It is not often I ant so patient as to-night, so tempt me not too far."

At this neither of us spoke, while Charles Stuart began to play with the ribbon around .hi.--- neck. "What have you to say?" "Nothing, tsire." " Yes, there is something. Three hours ago thou didst mention the name of Katharine Havcomb. What did she tell thee?" " Of that which I have since seen, Your Majesty," I said boldly. " Ah—and what is that?" " That which if made known would alter the history of the nation, sire." "Where is it?" he cried, as if forgetting himself.

" I do not know," I replied like a fool, for the moment I had spoken the words I realised that I had thrown down the only weapon by which I could defend myself.

The King laughed again quietly. " You are only fit for the cap and bells after all," he said quietly; '"just the cap and bells, Still, a fool may be dangerous if you put a pistol in his hands, so the best way is to keep him out of harm." "But others "know where it is!" I cried, for his words made me angry. " Who?". he cried. I was silent.

" Tell me," lie commanded, but ! could not speak. For who was the old roan of Pyecroft ? Where was he now At that moment all I had seen seemed but a Jack--Bedlam story, at- which a cunning man like the King would laugh. He seemed to hesitate what to do, but presently he rose and pulled a bell-rope, and before it ceased ringing the woman who had earlier in the evening accompanied Constance entered the room, while I saw two male lackeys at the door. The King gave some commands in a low voice, whereupon she prepared to lead Constance away. My heart fell at this, for, while I was brave and confident in her presence, my courage ebbed away at the thought of her leaving me. And yet it was not for myself that I seared, but for her. A great dread came into my heart concerning the indignities which I believed the King would place upon her, for I had heard his words, I had seen the look in his black, beady eye 3. But I could do nothing. I had to stand still while she left the room, and yet on her leaving i felt my bosom grow warm with joy. And no wonder, for, as she walked away, she turned around, and her eyes met mine, and then, although she never spoke a word of love to me, I knew that I did not love her in vain.

Let the King do his worst- now, I did not fear, for I had a strength and a joy of which he Smew nothing. No sooner had the door closed than the King's mood changed again. "Now then, we will speak plainly, Master Malapert," he said. " You know where this maid's sister is?"

At this I was silent, for surely there was no need oi speech. "Well, it doth not matter whether you speak or no— is, as far as it concerned me. As for you, it mattereth much. But there is the other matter; tell me what you know concerning that." .Whether I wad wise or no I will not fry to say, but I told him what I had seen. ,

" You say you saw this contract?" " Yes, sire, I saw it." " Signed by me?" " The name of Charles Stuart was affixed

to it." He took a pen from a table and scribbled hastily on a piece of paper. ''Like that?" he asked. "A facsimile of that, .sire," I replied. ■ For a time he was silent, and he took several turns up and down the room, as though he were thinking. "You knew of this when I arrived at Dover?"

"Yes. sire." " And when you went- to the place again?"

" It*was gone, as I have told you, sire." "You believe the old man. hath it?''

"Yes, sire." . " Do you know where he is "No, sire." " Any suspicion?" "No. sire." " And have you any suspicion where he is now?" , ■ At this I was silent, for wnat could i say? 1 1 believed that- he was at Goodlands, the house of John Leslie, and that his discovery would mean the discovery of Constance's sister, the sister whom she was ready to shield with her own life. Therefore," iu spite of ail the King's commands, I held my peace, never by so much as a word or a suggestion making known my thoughts. And yet I believed that the King was not altogether displeased with me, for even as he gave his commands concerning me he said—"An honest man is a good thing. Master Rashcliffe, but when he is a fool he must be e'en treated as a danger." Before the sun which was now rising went down I was in a foul dungeon in Fleet Prison. CHAPTER XXVI. I was kept in Fleet Prison for well nigh two years, and during the first year of that time! scarce ever spoke to a fellow-prisoner. Moreover, none of my gaolers ever had speech with me. So silent were they when they brought me my meals that I judged they 'had been commanded to be silent. It was easv to divine a meaning in. this, for if the King had bidden that no man should speak to me he would be obeyed. And I believed that he.had done this, else way was I treated differently from all others who were immured within those grim walls? Moreover there was a reason why he should trive the command. He did not desire that Sis marriage with Lucy Wallers should be known ; he did not wish that the boy James Croft should be spoken of as the future ! King of England.

Of ray sufferings during that year I will say but little. It is but little to ft man s credit that he should make known his tale of.woe; rather should he endeavour to make I the. best of his lot, and think of what com- | farts he had. And yet if I could tell my j story truly I must e'en remark on the dark j days I spent there, for they were dark days. For a time I almost wished that I had no hope that Constance loved- me, for it seemed to make my burden harder 1:0 bear. But it was only for a time. I could not help being glad because of the lovelight 3 Jitad seen in her eves, even though the thought of it brought me pain. For bring me pain it did. How could it be otherwise? I remembered the words of the King, and I knew that he meant what he said. Many nights have I lain awake, heedless of the vermin that swarmed the cell, thinking of what had become of her, and how she fared. For not one word did I hear. Whether she was dead or alive I knew not.. _ Whether she had escaped from the Kings power or whether he cruellv persecuted her no one could tell me. And tikis made my burden hardest to bear. If I knew she was dead I think I could have bom© up better, for I should know that- she had died thinking of me. Ay, I knew that, for no woman could look at a man as she at me without thinking of him always. . Even as I lay in the darkness I remembered that look and rejoiced. My imprisonment I woiud not have minded one whit if I knew she was safe. I did not. even fear hoi' being a hunted refugee as she was when I had seen her first of all. Nay, it was the thought, of what was in the King's mind that drove, me well nigh mad, and many a time wiiile: I was in prison had I wished that I had seized his fleshy neck and strangled the life j out of him. even although I suffered the tor- j ture? of hell as a consequence. | But I could do nothing. Day succeeded day and week suceeded week, and I heard j not so much as a breath of a whisper, while I could do nothing, for my prison door was | closed,

(TV* be continued daily.)