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NAGER She whose every desire from child- hood up had been gratified, whose every whim seemed to her a para- mount necessity, would stop at noth- ing when the dearest wish a woman’s heart can coin was to be gained or lost. Brandon’s element of prudence might help him and might forestall any et- fort on his part to win her, but Mary had never heard of prudence, and man’s caution avails but little when set against woman’s daring. In case they both should love they were sure to try for each other and in trying were equally sure to find ruin and desola- When Jane told me of this, I became frightened, for the surest way to any woman’s heart is to convince her that you make her better and arouse in her breast purer impulses and higher aspi- rations. It would be bad enough should Brandon fall in love with the princess, which was almost sure to happen, but for them to fall in love with each other meant Brandon’s head upon the block and Mary’s heart bruised, broken and empty for life. Her strong nature, filled to the brim with latent passion, was the stud of which love makes a conflagratlon that burns to destruc- tion, and should she learn to love Bran- don she would move heaven and earth to possess him. Jane talked of Brandon to Mary, who was in an excellent humor. until the girls fell asleep. heart upon the sleeve. Then he had that strong vein of prudence and cau- tion which. in View of Mary’s unattain- ableness. would probably come to his help. But never was man's heart strong enough to resist Mary ’l‘udor’s smile for long. There was this difference between hrandon and most others-he would be slow to love. but when love should once airly take root in his intense nature he would not do to trifle with. “Tell me all about Brandon. 1 am interested in him. I believe if I knew more persons like him I should he 11 better girL notxu hsl: llldillg he is one of the boldest men I m e k1: ew. He says anything he wishes and. with all his modest manner. is as cool with me as if I were u burgher’s daughter. His modesty is all on the outside, but it is pretty, and pretty things must be on the outside to be useful. I wonder If J udsou thought him modest.” The night after the mootjgg Mary cuddled up to me. who slvpt with her. and Whispered. halt” lmshfully: I was not surprised when I heard of the encounter, for I knew enough of him to be sure that Mary’s high handed- ness would meet its counterpart in my cool friend Brandon. It was, however, an unfortunate victory, and what all Mary’s beauty and brightness would have failed to do her honest, open ac- knowledgment of wrong, following so quickly upon the heels of her fault, ac- complished easily. It drew him within the circle of her fatal attractions, and when Jane told me. of it I knew his fate was sealed and that sooner or later his untmu-hed heart and cool head would fall vh-tim to the shafts that so surely Winged all others. It might and probably would be “later.” sinm‘, as Brandon had said, he was not one of those who Wear the He respected himself and made oth- ers do the same, or seem to do so at least. He had no vanity, which is but an inordinate desire for those qualities that bring self respect and often the re- sult of conscious demerit, but he knew himself and knew that he was entitled to his own good opinion. He was every inch 11 man, strong, intelligent and brave to temerity, with a reckless dis- regard of consequences, which might have been dangerous had it not been tempered by a dash of prudence and caution that gave him ballast. “I met your friend. Did he tell, you?” Brandon was the wrong man to say them to. as Mary learned. He was not hot temperedâ€"in fact, just the reverse â€"but he was the last man to brook an affront and the quickest to resent in a cool headed, dangerous way an inten- tional offense. CHAPTER IV. A 1.12830): 1): DANCING. LAUGHED heartily when Jane told me of the tilt between Brandon and Princess Mary. the latter of whom was in the habit of saying unkind things and beâ€" ing thanked for them. “I do not know an to his dancing and card playing, but I dare venture a mixer he. does both.” I replied. not “I wonder if your prodigy plays cards-that is, such as we ladies play ?" asked Mary. “You say he has lived much in France, where the game was invented, but I have no doubt he would scorn to waste his time at so frivolous a pursuit when he might be slaughtering armies single handed and alone. ” When the mirth began to gather in her face and the dimples came respon- sive to her smiles, when she threw back her perfectly poised head, stretch- ing her soft, white throat, so full and round and beautiful, half closing her big brown eyes till they shone again from beneath the shade of those long, black, sweeping lashes; when her red lips parted. showing her teeth of pearl, and she gave the little clap of her hands, a sort of climax to the soft, low, rippling laugh, she made a picture of such exquisite loveliness that it is no wonder men were fools about her and caught love as one catches a contagion. I had it once, as you already know, and had recovered. All that prevented a daily relapse was my fair, sweet anti- dote, Jane, whose image rested in my heart, a lasting safeguard. “We will so arrange It. then,” went on Mary banteringly. “Captain Bran- don no longer, but Charles Brandon. duke of Suffolk. Ilow sounds it. Mas. ter Caskoden?" “Sweet in my ears.” I replied. “I really believe you would have the king’s crown for him, you absurd man, if you could get it. We must have so interesting a person at court. I shall at least see that he is presented to the queen at once. I wonder if he dances. I suppose not. He has probably been too busy cutting and thrusting” And she laughed again at her own pleas- antry. “The king has given away everything that ean be given already. and now: that the war is ()\e' and men are eom- > in;: home there are hundreds waiting: 1 for more. My father's great treasure is , Squumlel't‘tl. to say nothing of the mon- * ey (folleetetl from I‘lmpson. Dudley and the other commissioners. There is noth- ing to give unless it he the titles and estate of the late Duke of Suffolk. Perhaps the king;' will give these to your paragon if you will paint him in as fai ' a light as you :ave drawn him ‘ for me.” Then. throwing haek her head. with a laugh. “Ask him.” “It wuuld be now too muoh for his deserts.” I replied. falling in with her humor. "What, in the mum of 11mm“. have we to give him?" cl'iml Mary illum- timnly. for shu lumt an eye on things politiml. even if slur were 01ny :1 girl. “What do I think of my new friend?” I repeated after her, and that gave me a theme upon which I could enlarge eloquently. I told her of his learning, notwithstandim,r the fact that he had been in the continental wars ever since he was a boy. I repeated to her stories of his daring and bravery that had been told to me by his unele, the mas- ter of the horse, and others, and then I added what I knew Lady Jane had already said. I had expected to be brief, but to my surprise found a close and interested listener, even to the twice told parts. and drew my story out a little. to the liking of us both. “Your friend 111191 1111 0 11'1111st 1111\0111116 in you, Sir 131111111.” 811111 the [1111111139. “That 111‘ 1111s." I ropiimi. “'1‘111‘1'0 is nothing 1111) guml 11) say of him.” I know that Mary. with her better. 1'119111'1‘1' 11121311. 1111111 11111 11111;; 111111051: in the 11111111 111' 1101' 11211111. so I thought to advance 11111111111111 ~1'1’111111111- by :1 timely word. “I trust the king: will see. fit to favor him. and l lmgw that you will spunk a word in his lwlmll' should the opportu- nity om-ur.” “So,” continued Mary, evidently somewhat piqued, “he did not think his presentation to me a thing worth men- tioning? We had a little passage at arms, and, to tell you the truth, I came on second best and had to acknowledge it too. Now, what do you think of this new friend of yours? And he did not boast about having the better of me. After all. there is more virtue in his si- lence than I at first thought.” And she threw back her head and clapped her hands and laughed with the most con- tagious little ripple you ever heard. She seemed not to grieve over her defeat, but dimpled as though it were a huge Joke, the thought of which rather pleased her than otherwise. Victory had grown stale for her, although so young. A few evenings after this I met the princess in the queen’s drawing room. She beckoned me to her and, resting her elbows on the top of a cabinet, her chin in her hands, said: “I met your friend, Captain Brandon, :1 day or two ago. Did he tell you ‘2” It was true Brandon had not said a word of the matter, and I had not spoken of it either. I wanted to see how long he would remain silent con- cerning an adventure that would have set most men of the court boasting at a great rate. To have a tilt with the ever victorious Mary and to come 01! victor was enough, I think, to loosen any tongue less given to bragging than Brandon's. “No,” I answered. “Jane told me, but he has not mentioned it.” “Indeed?” returned Mary. with ele- vated eyebrows and a rising inflection on the last syllable of the word. It was now her turn for a little surprise. “Well. we’ll try to find some way to surprise you one of these days.” And the time came when she was full of surprises for him. Mary continued: “But let us not talk about the other day. Of what use are “other days,’ any- way? Before the evening is over. Mas- ter Brandon, we want you to give us another sermon." And she laughed. set- ting off three other laughs as hearty and sincere as if she had uttered the rarest witticism on earth. “I think I can safely say that i was prepared not to be surprised at any- thing your highness might gracioue'y conclude to doâ€"after my first experi- ence." he answered. smiling. “Be seated. all," said the princess. "This is to be Without ceremony and only we four. No one knows a Word of it. Did you tell any one. Sir Edwin '2” “Perish the thought!” 1 exclaimed. She turned her face toward Brandon. “But I know you did not. I've heard how discreet you were about another matter. Well. no one knows it. then, and we can have a famous evening. You did not expect this. Master Bran- don. after my reception of you the oth- er morning? Were you not surprised when Sir Edwin told you ‘2” They each made a sweeping courte- sy. with hand on breast. and gravely saluted him: "Your grace. good even.” Il'nmlon's how was as deep and grm-el‘ul, if that were possible. as theirs. and when he moved on into the Hull” it was With a little halt in his step and a big blowing out of the checks in ludicrous imitation of his late lamented predm-essor that sent the girls into peals of soft laughter and put us all at our ease immediately. Ah. what a thing it is to look back uponâ€"that time of life when one finds his heaven in a ready laugh! The door was opened by Lady Jane, and we met the two girls almost at the threshold. I had told Brandon of the hanterini.r conversation about the title and estates of the late Duke of Suffolk, and he had laughed over it in the best of humor. If quick to retaliate for an intentional offense, he was not thin skinned at: a piece of pleasantry. and had none of that stiff. sensitive dignity so troublesome to oneself and friends. .The next evening at the appointed time we wended our way by an untre- quented route and presented ourselves as secretly as possible at the drawing room of the princess. As to the former. I had an interest there. myself. although I dared not set- tle the question by asking Brandon if he played cards and danced, and. as to the matter of Mary’s sport. I felt there was but little if any danger of her having too much of it at his expense. Brandon being well able to care for himself in that respect. I was not sure he would he so highly flattered if he knew that he had been invited to settle a wager and to help Mary to a little sport. "The man who learns to know what a woman thinks and feels will have a great deal of valuable information,” he replied. and then turned over for sleep, greatly pleased that one woman thought as she did. “She told me of your encounter," I returned. “but said she had come 0!! second best, and seemed to think her oxfl-mtluow a hug, e joke.” “Well, I’ll be”- But he did not say what he would “be." He always halt- ed before an oath, unless angry, which was seldom, but then beware. He had learned to swear in Flanders. “How she did fly at me the other morning! I never was more surprised in all my life. For once I was almost caught with my guard down and did not know how to parry the thrust. I mumbled over some sort of a lame retaliation and heat a retreat. It was so unjust and uncalled for that it made me angry. But she was so gra- cious in her amends that I was almost glad it happened. I like a woman who can be as savage as the very devil when it pleases her. She usually has in store an assortment of possibili- ties for the other extreme." When I went to my room that night, I awakened Brandon and told him of the distinguished honor that awaited The ten crown wager. too. gave spice to it, but to do her justice she cared very little for that. The princess loved gambling purely for gambling sake, and with her the next best thing to winning was losing. The thing had enough irregularity to give it zest, for while Mary often had a few young people in her drawing room. the companies were never or small as two couples only. and the king and queen, to make up for greater faults, were wonderful sticklers in the matter of little proprieties. “I will hazard ten crowns," said : Mary quickly, for she loved a wager1 and was a born gambler. “Taken," said I. “We will try him on both tomorrow night in my drawing room," she con- tinued. “You bring him up, but tell no one. I will have Jane there with her lute, which will not frighten you away I know, and we will try his step. i I will havecards, too, and we shall see what .he can do at triumph. Just we tour. no one else at all. You and Jane, the new Duke of Suirolk and 1. Oh, I can hardly wait!” And she fairly danced with Joyous anticipation. liking her tone of sarcasm. She had yet to learn who Brandon was. “Do you play triumph?” I heard Ma- :7 ask in the midstâ€"obthe‘danclnz. It is more diflicult than you may think. if you have never tried, to keep up a conversation and dance La 0an liard at the same timeâ€"one is apt to balk the other. But Brandon’s dancing was as easy to him as walking, and, al- though so small a matter. I could see it raised him vastly in the estimation of both girls. Mary and Brandon went on dancing long after Jane was tired of playing. It was plain to see that the girl was thoroughly enjoying it. They kept up a running fire of small talk and laugh- ed and smiled and bowed and courte- sied, all in perfect time and grace. A womanâ€"God bless her!â€"-lf she real- ly loves a man, has no thought of any otherâ€"one at a time is all sntflelentâ€" but a man may love one woman with the warmth of a slmoom and at the same time feel like a good. healthy south wind toward a dozen others. That is the difference between a man and a womanâ€"the difference between the good and the bad. One average woman has enough goodness in her to supply an army of men. “Never." she responded as she }:l:1.\'1~:l. and. strange to say. I was jt‘:'l«171~' 1-1» cause she agreed uith 11111. I was 19:11- ous hmause I {111'111111 1t was 12111:: ’.:.’:1, 111-11111} to wl1i1 11 she r111‘1rred. "‘1‘1. 11 i thought would n11 urally appeal 11» hm. Had he been less handsome 1 141111111! perhaps have thought nothing 111" it. but I knew what my feelings were to- ward Mary. and I judged. or rather 111isjud11'11d. Jane by 1115'self. I sup- posed she would think of Brandon 11s I 1-oul1l not help thinking of Mary. Was anything in heaven or earth ever so beautiful as that royal creature dancing there, daintily holding up her skirts with thumb and first finger. just far enough to show a distracting little foot and ankle and make one wish he had been born a sheep rather than a sentient man who had to live without Mary Tudor? Yet. strange as it may seem, I was really and wholly in love with Jane. In fact. I loved no one but Jane. and my feeling of intense admi- ration for Mary was but a part of man’s composite Inconstancy. When the music started. 0!! they 1 went. heel and toe. bow and courte.~:g.'. ' a step forward and a step back, in per- 3 feet time and rhythm-a poem of hu- man motion. Could Brandon dance? The princess had her answer in the , first ten steps. Nothing could l'e more ,‘I'atfcful than Brandon's dancing; m- less it were Mary's. ller slightest . tnovenient vas grace itself. When she ' would throw herself backward in thrusting out her toe and then swing forward with her head a little to one side, her uplifted arm midulatingr l’f;e the white neck of a sx'anflfor her sleeve. which was slit to the shoulder. fell back and left it hare~she was a Sight worth a long journey to see. .‘. fit] when she looked up to Brandon with a ; laugh in her brown eyes and a t“.il".'iti:_: . smile just parting her full. red l‘;-~:y that a man would give his very luck to â€"lmt I had better stop. “Was there ever a gondlior couple? I asked June, by whose side I sat. Out they stepped upon the polished floor, he holding her hand in his. at 'ait- ing the pause in the music to take the step. I shall never forget. the sight of those two standing there togetherâ€"â€" Mary. dark eyed and glowing; lirmidon. almost rosy. with eyes that held the color of a dark spring sky and a wealth of flowing curls crowning his six feet of perfect manhood. strong and vigor- ous as a young lion. Mary. full of beauty curves and graces. a veritable Venus in her teens. and Brandon. an Apollo. with a toueli of Hercules. rere a complement eaeh to the other that would surely make a perfect one. “0h, pardon me! Of (-onrso! Thank you!" And he was on his foot beside her chair in an instant ready for the dance. This time the girl‘s laug . thung‘h equally nn-rry. had another tone, for she know she had lost. The princess had told Jane and Jane had told me of the “Sermon in the Park." as Mary called it. “Jane needs it as much as I.” said the princess. “I can't believe that.” responded Brandon. looking at Jane with a sot- tenlng glance quite too admiring and commendatory to suit me. for l was a jealous little devil. . The eyebrows went up again. “Oh. you think she doesn’t? Well. in truth. Master Brandon. there is one failing that cannot be laid at your door -â€"you are no tiatterer." For answer Brandon laughed. and that gave us the cue. and away we went in a rippling chorus. all about nothing. Some per- sons may call our laughter foolish. lml there are others who consider it llze height of all WISdnm. St. George! I'd give mv Garter for just one other laugh like that. for just one other hour of youth’s dancing biamd and glowing soul warmth, of sweet. unconscious. happy heart beat and paradise creating joy in everything! Brandon did not answer Mary’s invi- tation-the lit of laughter had probably put it out of his mimlâ€"â€"so she, evidently anxious to win or lose her w iger at (”we :wuin asked him if he. dam-ed. “Yes, that will be delightful. Mas- ter Brandon, will you dance with me?” asked the princess. with a saucy little laugh, her invitation meaning so much more to three of us than to Brandon. Jane and I joined in the laugh, and when Mary clapped her hands that set Brandon off. too, for he thought it the quaintest. prettiest little gesture in the world and was all unconscious that our laugh was at his expense. Jane sat there looking so demure you would have thought mischief could not live within a league of her. but those very demure girls are nearly always dangerous. She said, oh, so innocently: After a few minutes of gay conversa- tion, in which we all joined, Mary ask- ed: “What shall we do? Will one of you suggest something?” “Would you like to dance? It so]: will play." And she reached for her lute. which was by her side. I still insist upon that. I forgive you. however, this time.” Then, halt apolo' geticaliy, “After all, it is not such I grievous charge to make. I believe it never yet injured any man with wom- en. They rather like it. I am “mid. however angry it We- them. Don't they. Jane?" _ "He said not a word of it." broke in Brandon, answering {or me. “i should have been a dullard indeed not to haVe seen it myself after what you aid about the loss of your 10 crowns. So let us cry quits and begin again." Mary reluctantly struck her nag. “Very well, I am willing.” she said laughingly; “but. as to your boldneln. He said good humoredly: “What! Shall you have all the laugh in your sleeve at my expense? Do you expect to bring me here to win a wager for you made on the assumption or my stupidity and lack of social accom- plishments and then complain when it comes my turn to laugh? l think i am the one who should be oil'ended. but you see 1 am not." “Caskodeu. did you tell him?" deo mended Mary. evidently referring to the wager. It was a battle royal between the forces on the floor, and I enjoyed it and felt that Brandon would come out Ill right. Mary's eyes shot tire. and she stamp- ed 1101‘ foot. exciaimiug: “Sir. this goes beyond all bounds! I will not tolerate your boldness :mutber muumut." I thought she was going to dismiss him. but she did not. The time had come when he or she must be the master. “You are grieving lm-uuse I think you hold. And yet .mu stand there laughing at me to my face. i think so more than over now. I know it. Oh. you make me at gry! Don’t! I do not like persons who anger me and then laugh at me.” This turnvd Brandon's smile into-u laugh. which he could not hold lsnck. Mary would rather have lu-vn called a fool than a prude, and I think she was right. I‘rudery is no nun-o a sign of virtue than a wig is of hair. It is usually put on to hide a bald place. The princess stood irrosulute for I moment in evident hesitation and an- noyance. Mary interrupted him. “Km believe you are laughing at mo- prudvry, I suppose you think it.‘ “You do me foul wrong. I assure you. I am the soul of modvsty. and grieve that you should think me hold." said Brandon. with a broadening smile. Mary saw this shadowy smile and said: “Oh, I fear your modesty will cause you hurt. I am beginning to be- lieve you would dare do anything you wish. I more than half suspect you are a very bold man, notwithstanding your smooth. modest mannor." “I thought you wished me to teach I!“ the new daawc.” swered Brandon, with a glimmer of t smile playing around his lips and bid- mg in his eyes. “I should not have dared venture up- on such a familiarity otherwise," an- “But is that really the way youâ€" they dance ltâ€"with yourâ€"~tbeir arm around myâ€"a lady’s waist '3" “I do. hutâ€"but I did not know it was dnnced that way." she replied. with n fluttering little laugh, looking up into his face with a halt shy, half apologet- lc manner and then dropping her lashes before his gaze. “Oh, well!" said Brandon, with a Frenchman’s shrug of the shoulders. and then moved at! as it about to leave the floor. “Oh. do you?" cried Mary. “That will more than compensate for the loci of my 10 crowns. Let us sit down at once. I have been wishing to learn. but no one hem Ieeml to know it. In France. they say. it is the only game. I suppose there in where you learned it. Perhaps you know their new dance. too. I have bean! they am delightful." “Yes. I know themfl'repuen Brandon. “Wh.v. you are a perfect treasure! Teach me at once! How. new. master at the dance? Here is your friend out- dolng you in your own line." “I am glad to hear it," I returned. “It Lady June will kindly play tome llvely air wrltten In the time of ‘The 80.110! Luu,’ I wlll teach the Lady Mn- ry the new dance." said Brandon. J ane threw one plump llttle knee over the other and struck up “The Sailor use." After she had adjusted the playing to Brandon‘s suggestion he stepped deliberately in front of Mary and. taking' her right hand in his left. encircled her waist with his right arm. The girl was startled at first and drew away. This nettled Brandon a little. and he showed it plainly. “Oh. yes." replied Bundon. much in my delight. as the princeu threw n mischievous. knowing glance over her shoulder to see it I had heard. She nt onceuwlhndnndthinotcouue. nettled the wager. “And." continued Brandon. “1 also play the new game. honor and rail. which is more interesting than tri- umph." “I thought you wished me to teach you the new dance,” he said. “Oh. : ”Now. I do at luvâ€"at my