e."

"She hath killed thee," burst from Francis wildly. "Killed thee, my
mother, and driven my father forth a fugitive. Oh, I hate her! I hate
her!"

"Hush, oh hush!" wailed the mother, a look of fear crossing her face as
the lieutenant and the physician started forward at the girl's words.
"Good masters, heed her not. She is distraught with grief.
I--Francis----"

She threw out her arms and strove to clasp her daughter, but they fell to
her side. A swift pallor spread over her face, a gasping, choking sound
rattled noisily, and she was dead. For a moment the girl seemed dazed by
what had happened, and then she threw herself upon her mother with a wild
shriek.

"Mother, mother, speak to me!"

"Thy mother is dead," said the physician trying to draw her away.

"Touch me not," she cried in frenzied accents turning upon him so
fiercely that involuntarily he recoiled. "Minion! leave me. Leave me with
my mother."

"That may not be, my child," said the physician gently noting the wild
light of her eyes. "That may not be. The queen----"

"The queen?" cried the girl shrilly. "Yes; the queen! England's great
queen! Oh, she is truly great! 'Tis a crime to be fairer than the queen!
Ha, ha! a great queen! Truly a great queen!"

"Girl or boy, whiche'er you be, cease such words," commanded the
lieutenant sternly. "Thou utterest treason."

"Treason? Ay, sir, treason! Treason for thee, but not for me. I claim no
queen but Mary of Scotland. I----"

"Mary of Scotland hath been condemned to death. She will be executed as
soon as Elizabeth signs the death warrant."

"To die?" shrieked the girl. "Mary to die! If Mary must die, then shall
Elizabeth also. Nay; stay me not! I go to kill the queen!"

She drew her poniard and made a dash for the door; but the lieutenant
caught her ere she reached it.

"Unhand me, varlet," she panted. "Ye shall not stay me from my purpose."

"Girl, do you utter such words in the presence of the dead? Look on thy
mother and say if still thou dost hold to thy design?"

He turned her forcibly toward her mother's form on the couch. Francis
pressed a hand to her brow as though bewildered, and then as if drawn by
that still calm face drew closer, and gazed steadfastly upon it. The
sweet sereneness of the dead calmed her. Presently a sob convulsed her
frame, and flinging herself upon the body she burst into a passion of
weeping.

"Let her weep," observed the physician. "'Tis all that hath kept her f