Part 11 (2/2)

Suddenly James started up, as though just bethinking him.

”Why, Harry, we must have our game; shall I hide again? Then give me five minutes' grace, and come after me!” He looked at Elizabeth, and said, ”Wilt thou go with him? Or art thou tired to-night, sister?”

”In sooth, I think she is aweary,” said the Countess; and James put his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders, boy fas.h.i.+on, and s.n.a.t.c.hed a kiss from her lips.

”Then go to bed, sweetheart, and one of the servants shall attend Harry,” he said; ”but he will not be content without his game of play.”

The boy was gone, and Elizabeth was thankful that little Harry now claimed the attention of the Countess; for she felt as though every drop of blood had ebbed from her face. What would be the next thing that she heard of her brother?

She could not be persuaded to remain in her room. She roamed all over the house with Harry, whilst the Countess went back to her husband.

Harry's bedtime came at last; it was dark outside, save for the light of the moon; the Earl came out, and asked where the boy was, and learned that he was still seeking his brother.

”Then I must needs help find him too,” said the good-natured n.o.bleman, taking Harry's hand, and as the child seemed somewhat weary of the search, he looked inquiringly at the servants.

Then one came forward, and whispered that the Duke was hiding in the gardener's cottage, of which he had begged the key; and thither they all proceeded, Elizabeth commanding herself to laugh and chat with Harry, and wonder where next Jamie would hide, and how many more strange places were still left for him to find.

Harry ran gaily into the cottage, when somebody had forced open the locked door for him, at a sign from the Earl, whose face had suddenly clouded over. But ransack as they might, not a trace of the fugitive could be found.

With a stifled exclamation of dismay the Earl dashed down to the water-gate, which he found open. Then the truth flashed across him, and he bit his lips in perplexed confusion.

”Conduct the Princess and the Duke to the house,” he said, ”we must make further inquiries into this matter!”

Then Elizabeth knew at least that James had escaped from the Palace, though she could not know for many days whether he would succeed in making good his escape to Holland.

She sought the privacy of her own rooms, and, falling upon her knees, gave thanks to G.o.d for His great goodness in watching over them thus far.

Every day she expected to hear that some severe punishment was to be inflicted upon her--perhaps even death itself, so little did she understand the laws of the land--for the part she had taken in her brother's escape. But strange to say her own complicity in the plot was never suspected at that time. Her very calmness and courage, which enabled her first to plan the clever scheme and then to go through her own part so tranquilly, averted all suspicion from her.

Even the Earl, when all the facts of the case were known, was exonerated from blame. He had before told the Parliament that he declined absolute responsibility with regard to the Royal children, unless he made actual prisoners of them--a thing he was not prepared to do; and although there was some angry discussion in the House, and several stringent measures were recommended by certain extreme men, yet in the end humane counsels prevailed, and the Princess Elizabeth, together with her little brother, were permitted to remain beneath the kindly care of the Earl and Countess of Northumberland.

James escaped after a few perils, and got safe over to Holland; but the hasty kiss he s.n.a.t.c.hed from his brave young sister upon that April evening was the last he ever gave or took from her.

The girl Elizabeth never recovered the shock of her father's death two years later, and though she lingered for more than a year, winning the hearts of all about her by her sweetness of disposition and the wonderful courage and fort.i.tude she exhibited in the midst of so many trials and sufferings, she pa.s.sed peacefully away to a world where pain and partings are no more, and where the sorrowful and weary are at rest.

Little Harry was with her to the last, receiving at her hands such few poor possessions as remained to her. A while later, by an unwonted freak of generosity on Cromwell's part, the boy was permitted to join his mother in France.

CHARLOTTE HONEYMAN

”Pirates! Oh, Charlotte, how romantic! How do you know? Are you sure?

Oh, how I should love to see a real live pirate!”

Charlotte smiled a little grimly.

”I'm not quite so sure of that, Adela; I rather think if you were to encounter him you would wish he were anything but a live pirate--you would much prefer him dead!”

”What a horrid idea, Charlotte!” and Adela s.h.i.+vered slightly. ”But do go on! Tell me some more! I thought there were no pirates left now.

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