Show T a JOAN yrIfflMD 11h Y V SR Ci2OCKGTTAuIior a 7lic RdlcltYr h OupyrlKllt lMr 1900 by 8 H CrocktH CHAPTER XIV Isle Rugen At eventide of tho third day of their Journeying tho party camo to a great morass The horses picked their way i warily through this tangle the rotten sticks yleldlriK as 1 readily as wet mud beneath their hoofs Pools 1 ot stagnant stag-nant black water had to be evaded treacherous yellow sands tested bridges constructed of the firmer logs till all suddenly they came out upon a falryllke little half moon of sand and tiny shells bottomed Hero was a largo flat boat drawn up against the shore In the stern a strange figure was seated In Jerkin a man tall and angular clad and trunks of brown tanned leather cross gartered hose of grey cloth and home made nhoou of hide with the hair outside Ho wore a 1 black scull cap and his head had the strange uncanny un-canny look of a wild animal It was not at the first glance nor yet at the I second that Boris and Jorlan found out tho causo of this carious appear ance Meanwhile Werner von Orsoln was putting Into his hand Home pledge or sign which he scrutinized carefully when Jorlan gripped his companions arm Ioolc he whlspeied hes got no cars Nor any tongue I responded Boris staring with all his eyes at tho prodigy prod-igy And indeed the strange man was pointing to his mouth with the Index finger of his right hand and signing that they were to follow him Into the boat which had been wailing for them The Duchess leapt from her horso and stepped from the little pier of stono besldo which the boat lay and walking firmly from seat to seat sho reached the stern where she sat down without seeming to have so much as glanced at any of tho company Werner von Orbcln then motioned Captains Boris and Jorlan to take their places in the how and having bared his head he seated himself beside be-side his mistress The wordless earless > ear-less man took the oars and pushed oft The ten men left on the shore set about building a fire and malting shelters of brushwood as If they expected ex-pected to stay there some time The boat passed almost noiselessly along the strange man rowing strongly strong-ly and the boat drawing steadily away across the widest part of the still Inland In-land sea As they thus coasted along tho gloomy shores the sun went down and darkness came upon them at a bound After a space tall trees again shot up overhead and with a quick turn the boat passed between walls of trembling trem-bling reeds that rustled against the oars like silk cmeigcd on a black circle of water and then gliding smoothly forward took ground In tho blank dark As the broad keel grated on tho sand the Wordless Man left out and standing on the shore put his hands to his mouth and emitted a long shout like a blast blown on a conch shell It had obviously a meaning for someone some-one and to put tho matter beyond a doubt It was answered by three shrill whistles from behind the rampart of trees Joan sat still In tho boat where sho had placed herself She had asked no question and even theso strange experiences did not alter her resolu tlon Presently a light gleamed uncertainly uncer-tainly through tho trees now lost behind brushwood and again breaking break-ing out A tall figure moved forward with a step quick and firm It was that ota ot-a woman who carried a swinging lau yl I I a ss t I J E IIj II j Follow mol tern In her hand from which wheeling Debts gleamed through a score of variously colore little plates of horn Standing still on a Httlo wooden I pier she hold tho lantern high so that tho light fell on those in tho boat and their faces looked strangely whlto In that Illuminated circle surrounded as It was by a pent houso of tenso blackness black pines black water black sky Follow mo said tho woman In a dcepi rich olcoa volco whoso tones thrilled those who heard them to their hearts so rich and low wero Borne of tho notes Joan of tlio Sword Hand rose to her foet s > foetI am till Duchess of Hohenstnlu and I do not leave this boat till I know In what place I am and who this may bo that cries Follow I to tho daughter of Henry the Lion I Tho all woman turned without bow lug and looked at tho girl I am the mother of Maurice von bynar and this Is tho Isle Hu enl she paid simply as If the answer weep ullmifllclcnt Time woman In tho crimson cloak waited for Joan to be assisted from tho boat and then without a word of greeting led the way up a little sanded sand-ed path to a gate which opened In a high Rtono wall Through this alto admitted her guests whereupon thoy found themselves In an enclosure with towers and battlements rising dimly all round Then came a long grey building another door low and creaking heavily heav-ily on unaccustomed hinges n sudden burst of light and lo the wanderers found themselves within a lighted hall wherein were many stands of arms and armor mingled with skins of wild animals wide sprending ninny m lined antlers and other records of tho chase Pin woman wllo had been their guide now set down her lantern and allowed the hood of hor cloak to slldo from hor head Werner and his two male companions the captains of Pins senburg fell back n little at the apparition appa-rition They had expected to see some bag or crone lit companion of tholr wordless guide I Instead a woman stood before them not girlish certainly nor yet In tho first bloom of her youth but glorious even among fair women by reason of tho ripeness of her beauty The mother of that young paladin I weir sparhawk It seemed Impossible I Impossi-ble This woman was too youthful too fair too bountiful In her gracious beauty to bo the mot er of such a tense young yewbow as Maurice von Lj nar My lady Joan she said In tho same thrilling voice my son has sent mo word that till a certain great danger dan-ger Is overpast you are to abide with me hero on the Isle Rugen I live alone save for this one man dumb Max Ulrlch long since cruelly maimed at tho hands of his enemies I can offer you no suite of attendants beyond be-yond those you bring with you Our safety depends on the secrecy of our abodo as for many years my own life has done I ask you therefore to respect re-spect our privacy as also to Impose the same upon your soldiers Tho Duchess Joan bowed slightly As you doubtless know I have not come hither of my own free will she answered haughtily but I thank you madam for your hospitality Rest assured that the secrecy of your dwelling shall not bo endangered by moThen Then with a largo gesture tho elder Indicated the way up tho broad staircase stair-case and throwing her own cloak completely oft sho caught It across her arm as It dropped and so followed fol-lowed Joan out of sightS sight-S S t Instinct was so strong that as soon as the women had withdrawn themselves them-selves upstairs tho three captain started towards tho door to make the round of tho defences Tho Wordless Man accompanied them unasked Tho square enclosure In which they found themselves scorned llker an old fortified farmhouse of grange than a regular castle though the walls were thick as those of any fortress being loop holed for musketry and In thoso days of bombards few and heavy capable cap-able of standing a siege In good earnest ear-nest against a small army Tho three captains returned through tho hall Into a long dining room vault t1 I t BU uuovu with Dcarns or solid oak Curtains were drawn close all about tho walls In the recesses were many stands of arms of good and recent construction and opening a cupboard with the freedom of a man at arms Boris saw ramrods powder and shot arranged In order as neatly as though I ho had dono It himself than which no hotter could be said In a little while tho sound of footsteps foot-steps descending the nearer staircase was heard The Wordless Man moved to tho door and held It open as Joan came In with a proud high look on her face Von Lynars mother entered I en-tered immediately after her guest and It needed nothing more subtle than Werner von Orselns masculine acumen to discern that no word had been spoken between them while they were alone With a queenly gesture the hostess motioned mo-tioned her guest to tho place of honor and Indicating that tho three soldiers were to take their places at tho other side of tho table Werner von Orseln moved automatically to obey but Jorlan and Boris wore already at tho sideboard dusting platters and maltIng malt-ing them ready to servo tho meal I thank you madam said Jorlan Woro wo hero as envoys of our master mas-ter Prince Hugo of Plassonburg we would gladly and proudly sit at meat with you But we are volunteers and have all our lives been men at arms Wo will therefore assist this good gentleman to serve an It please you to permit u81 Tho lady bowed slightly and for tho first time smiled My son remains In Castlo Kerns berg she asked with an upward Inflection In-flection an Indescribable FoftneES at tho same time overspreading hor taco and a warmth coming Into hor grey eyes which showed what this woman to J J might bo to thoio whom alio really loved lovedHo Ho keeps tho Castlo Indeed In his mistresss absence and mine KM Werner Ho will mako a good soldier sol-dier Our lady has already made him Count von Loon that ho may bo tho t equal of thoso who care for such n titles A strange flash of remembrance and emotion passed over tho faco of their hostess And your own title my lord sho asked utter a little pause I urn plain Werner von Orseln freo ruler and faithful servant of my mistress mis-tress tho Duchess Joan as I was also of her father Henry tho Lion oC Hohensteln I have now no faithful servant said the young Duchess at last breaking break-ing her cold silence I havo only tral tois and jailers about me With that sho became once more sl lenti A painful restraint foil upon tho wi I iW I I I + I I l I I I The secrecy of your dwelling shall not be endangered by me three who sat at table and though their hostess and Werner von Orseln partook of tho fish and brawn ands fruit which their three servitors set before them In silver platters It wags Tjut sparingly and without appetite All wero glad when tho meal was over and they could rlso from thou table As soon as possible Boris and Jorlan got outside Into tho long passage pas-sage which led to the kitchen Jorlan said Boris solemnly lows crlng hIs volco to a whisper If that Courtland follow had known what wet know ho would have been none aoi 1 eager to got hor homo to bed and board 1 > rco will melteven Baltic IcelN said Jorlan sententiously Yes but greybeard Louis ot Court i land Is not tho man to do tho melt r Inc retorted Boris But I know who could saldj saldl Jorlan nodding his head with an alrl of Immense sagacity Who said Boris shortly Tho door of the kitchen opened slightly and tho tall woman stood at moment with tho latch in her hand ready to enter Our Sparhawk could melt the Baltic Bal-tic loch said Jorlan and winked at Boris with his left eye In a sly manner man-ner Whereupon Boris dropped his knlfo and seizing Jorlan by the shoulders he thrust him down upon a broad stool Then he dragged tho platter oil brawn before him and dumped the mustard pot beside It upon the deal table with a resounding clap There he cried fill your silly mouth with that Fatsldos Tis alii you arc good for I havo stood a deal of fine larded Ignorance from you in my time but nothing like this Yom will be saying next that my Lady Duchess might take a fancy to you I She might do worse said Jorlan philosophically as ho stirred tho mustard mus-tard with his knife and looked about for the ale tankard To bo continued u |