AGE'S

ed with soft arras embroidered in bright coloring skilfully blended. The rich furniture was designed for ease and comfort rather than pomp and p

handled fan of flamingo feathers which ever and anon she laid aside to dir

vel that thou dost accomplish anything with such unskilful fingers. Knowest thou not that the Queen's Majesty did fashion a shirt of cambric

ancy dwells not upon my task, but the rather do I wonder in what m

thee, child. Thou wilt soon know all." A look of anxiety crosse

my mother. Prithee

it best. Until then neither thou nor I may speak of it. 'Tis a woman's lo

nk as well as men? Wherefore then should we yield blind unreasoning obedience when mind

sire in thee for a girl. I fear such spirit. Study lowliness, for a woman should be meek. Stif

e because I have so much of him in me. 'Twas he who taught me how to string a bow, and 'twas he

n despite thy skill in men's sports. Nature, howsoe'er disguised, 30 will soon or late assert herself. Thou art a woman, therefore again I say, steep thy soul in humility. I fear that h

my m

brooks authority, and thou wilt soon be of an age when if thy will should clash with thy f

in silence, and then

is something that

n, my

only that I would know. My mother, why doth Elizabeth reign as queen if our rightful q

th been a good queen save and except that she hath made severe laws agains

ld willingly raise Mary to

very truth. 'Tis because the queen fears the

hath it be

hen she set foot upon English soil, but now she hath grown old before her time wi

l bad woman, and that if she could compas

h her liberty is no crime, but rather the longing of all nature to be free. Mary is the daughter and the granddaughter of a king. Sometime queen of France, and crowned queen of Scotland. She is cousin german to Elizabeth, and if

she is the most lovely woman in the world. That no

aughed and then

out sight of queen or court. But if it should chance, which God forfend, that thou art called to the

is sh

. I mind well when Elizabeth was crowned that she was fair to look upon, but that was twenty-eight years ago. The queen is now past fifty years of age. Doth a flower retain its loveliness forever? I trow

to court, my

sies of courtiers. The favor of princes is uncertain, and even royalty is not always well disposed toward the happiness of a

this moment. "This is a favorable time, I ween, for me to unf

m a chest of drawers the doublet

ring room, and don these habi

l, but Lord Stafford wav

ou art habited, return and hear t

to the room, and, doffing the jaunty bonnet tha

lord?" she cried gaily. "

," exclaimed her father laughing. "But

ot that, I pray 35 thee. Thou shalt see how cunningly my hand can

e part, thou shalt please me well. How say thee? Wilt thou bear me company upon a grave mission? Will thy courage fail, or canst thou, a

an you?" asked Fran

rry to her letters of import that inform her of the design. But Mary is so immured, that heretofore it hath been impossible to gain access to her. A lad

do more if needful,"

wn we set forth, thou and I, for Chartley. How now, sweet chuck?" as a sob escaped the mother. "Fear

ly. "You know how all these attempts have ended, and

the queen. 'Tis only to give Mary freedom. Think only of thy d

gentler spirit," sobbed the lady. "Oh, my l

in the success of our enterprise. But now to bed, to bed. The fi