Pictures and the Picturegoer (Jan-Dec 1925)

38 Picture s and Pichure poer " I thought so," sneered Sir Malcolm. And suddenly he raised his sword. day — she slipped to the stables and saddled her white mare. Spinning round into the high road she left Haddon Hall behind in a mist of dust. She scarce knew where she was going, or why, but when the mare's hoofs beat upon the road to Rutland Castle she knew neither surprise nor remorse. Only fear — fear that she might be too late. . . "VVVhen the lone rider was gone she spurred the horse into the high road once again. But now there was a fresh danger. The departure of the white mare had been witnessed from the high terrace at Haddon and a hundred mounted soldiers of the Queen's guard were in pursuit. Little tears of excitement trickled down Dorothy's cheeks ; but soon she was laughing too. The soldiers of the Queen ! What did they know of the Haddon country, that wild Peak land in which she had passed all of her beautiful young life? She even turned and beckoned them on, taunted them and jeered at them, and then plunged into the woods, climbed the wildest crags, tore along a high wall no more than a yard across, where the merest slip meant death. And once she took the devil's jump, that fearsome leap in the heights that no stranger dare attempt. And so though fhe horses of the Queen's guard were lieeter than her small white mare it was Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall who came first to Rutland Castle. First by a hair's breadth, but first irrevocably. The gates that closed on her pantinsj horse were shut in the faces of the pursuit. "Though soon," she thought, "as she ran up the dark stone staircase to the room in which Queen Mary waited, " soon they must break through. This is Elizabeth's country and Elizabeth's men must be obeyed. I have few minutes in which to save a gracious lady who has never harmed me." To say that Queen Mary was startled by the story Dorothy Vernon brought to her is to. say little. But there was no time for questions and answers. Dorothy tarried only long enough to learn that her John was on his way to Haddon Hall to tell his story at her feet; then she whipped off her gown and bade Queen Mary do the same. " Give me, too, your veil," she asked. And in a very little time Dorothy *^ Vernon was attired in the robes of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Mary stood in the humbler dress of Dorothv Vernon of Haddon Hall. " Go by the back door and none will stop you," said Dorothy. " Dorothy Vernon may go where she wills in these parts. As for myself — I shall be all right. I shall be in custody." The Queen departed and Dorothy waited. There was the sound of stout blows on the great front gate of the Castle and in a very short space Elizabeth's men stood before the veiled lady, Sir Malcolm Vernon at 'their head, with the ultimatum of that other and greater Queen and the stark announcement that Mary was a prisoner. " Lead on," said the bogus Mary in a whisper. And so set out the procession that was to lead the Queen of Scots to her proud conqueror. But on the way Sir Malcolm found occasion to be by the "Queen's" side; and though the veil that she wore was too thick for him to see through it was not too thick for her hearing and she heard the words he uttered : " Do not fear my Queen," he murmured. " Our plan yet goes JANUARY 1925 well, for this seeming set-back is in the proper hands. You are to be taken before Elizabeth now, but — Elizabeth shall die to-night and you sit in her throne!" Arrived at Haddon Hall, the veiled lady was taken at once before Elizabeth. She stood before the throne and bowed her head. " And so Marv at last you acknowledge defeat," said the great Elizabeth, with a smile of triumph. " Well, unveil yourself and let me look on your face for the last time !" Dorothy put up a tiny hand and swept the veil aside. ^"Why! what is this?" cried Elizabeth. " More than your Highness has the wish to believe, I will warrant," cried Dorothy. "This man here — this traitor, Sir Malcolm Vernon, cousin though he is of mine — plots to destroy you this very night and place Mary of Scots in your throne. This plot he has whispered to me not an hour ago, as he brought me here thinking me another captive. Had I been Mary, he would have ushered me in not a prisoner but a victor. Your Majesty — " Malcolm Vernon staggered forward, his face convulsed with rage. "The wench lies and knows it!" he bawled. " It is her word against mine, and what action of mine or my family's in all our life has been disloyal to your Majesty? I crave a fair hearing as a loyal subject. How comes it that we bring you here, Dorothy Vernon, and not Mary of Scots, but that by this masquerade this woman has set your enemy free?" " There is sense in that," Elizabeth nodded. " There is deceit and cunning in it !" protested Dorothy. " I have known Sir Malcolm only to be right loyal these many years, and his father before him," said the Queen. " I have no reason to doubt his word. Go ! And await my commands in your chambers." Dorothy crept from , the audience chamber to her own room, with a heart of lead in her bosom. Even the startling appearance of Sir John, her lover, there in her own room waiting for her, could not raise her spirits. " If you are found here all is lost," she cried. " The Queen suspects us of disloyalty and even at this moment Sir Makolm is pouring lies about us into her Majesty's ears. Oh, I fear me things are going ill with the house of Vernon." " My dear lady," protested Sir John, " let all the world utter poisonous lies, yet am I here to serve you if you will but tell me that which already I think I can guess. That you love me. . ." " Oh. John, I love you indeed," said {Continued on page 74).