Show r n r if r e = = = = op JOAN rnJ D t o f et Ws rye ° Bt 5 R CROCKEfTAumo tai Trek8lderJ c o lases 1 Copyright 1898 1900 by S It Crockett those b CHAPTER X 01 Ii < brote At the High Altar ten Ishln When Maurice von Lynar reached e char thc pen air he stood for full five mines est G min-es lightheaded In the rush of the dty traffic Tho loud reiteration of rejoicing sounded heartless and oven Impertinent In his ear The world had changed for the young Dane since the Count von Loen had been summoned by tho Princess Margaret He cast his mind back over the Interview In-terview but failed to disentangle anything any-thing definite It was a maze of Impressions I Im-pressions out of which grew the certainty cer-tainty that safely to play his difficult + r part ho must obtain tho whole confidence i confi-dence of the Duchess Joan The young Dane found the duchess walking up and down on the noble promenade which faced the river to I the west Ah Von Lynar my bravo Dane what good wind brings you here she cried I declare I was longing for some one to talk to A consciousness of need which had only just come upon her I havo seen tho Princess Margaret said the youth slowly and I think H that she must mistake me for some other person Sho spoke things most Cry ei strange to me The eyes of the duchess danced A c Bare load seemed suddenly lifted off hur u thi mindWas UIeI Was she very angry she queried I CIII Very returned Von Lynar smiling ey were smil-ing In recognition of her smile sa moor What said the princess 01 att First she would have It that my statist name and style was that ot the Count sUID1t Ton Loen Then she reproached me beard fiercely because I denied it After be crop that she spoke of certain foreign customs 30000 cus-toms she had been taught recalled 000000 walks through corridors and rose gardens 00 TIe gar-dens with me till my head swam Umate and I know not what to answer knot Joan of the Sword Hand laughed a 11000 merry peal myths The Count von Loen did she say In the she mediated Well so you are the Count von Loen I create you the Count von Loen I give you tho title = = I give you also I therewith the estates which pertain to the title They are ondoct situated on the borders of Relchonau ed but I am so happy tonight that I would rive at like to make all the world happy I am sorry for all the folk I havo injured in-jured Love changes all things said the Dane sententiously The duchess looked at him quickly You are in lovewith the Princess Margaret she said The youth blushed a deep crimson whlh flooded his neck and dyed his dusky skin Poor Maurice she said touching his bowed head with her hand your troubles will not be to seek My lady said tho youth I fear not trouble I have promised to servo tho princess in all things She has been kind to me She has forgiven mo all Soyou are to change your allegiance allegi-ance said the duchess But how did you manage to appease her That Is no mean feat She is an imperious lady and quick of understanding I Then Maurice von Lynar told his mistress of his most allowable false I Nax 1 hoods and begged her not to undeceive unde-ceive the princess for that ho would tent rather bear all that she might put elf an upon him than that she should know 1 the he had lied to her Do not be afraid said the duchess it was I who tangled the skein So = far you have unravelled It very well Tho least I can do Is to leave you to unwind it to the end my bravo Count von Loen emit The morning of the great day ad dawned cool and grey The streets h oth Mrs ySe ql Are e the city ° l cltlMr Mr I Q ti nUn i speak pres 1 11 J one eon boy Jt oath to I I d e I 300 d pest to I II yon ire ° O was Jr the I create you the Count von Loen len were completely lined with the folk him i 10th of the city of Courtland as the Princess n t In Prin-cess Margaret with the Sparhawk Juth and his company of lances clattering the behind her rode to the entrance of and the great palace where abode the brideelect Who is that youth asked MarS Mar-S Wret of Courtland of Joan as they r am Wmo out together she looked at the time anehe at the head of your first tbSt troops Ho looks like your brother for Ho has often been taken for such haa laid the bride He Is called the A Count von Loon > The bells of the minster clanged out a changeful thunder of brazen acclaim ac-claim as the bride set out for the first time so they told each other on the streets to see her promised hUB band Very like a princess and a great lady looked Joan of Hohenstcln as she went up the aisle with Margaret of Courtland by her side She kept her I eyes on the ground for she meant to look at no one and behold nothing till sho should seethat which she longed to look upon Suddenly I she was conscious that they had stopped In the middle of a vast silence The candleS upon the great altar threw down a golden lustre Joan saw the Irregular shining shin-ing of them on her white bridal dress and wondered that it should be so bright My brother the Prince of Court land said the voice of the Princess Margaret Slowly Joan raised her eyes pride and happiness at war with n kind of glorious shame upon her face I But that ono look altered all things She stood fixed aghast turned to I stone as she gazed She could neither speak nor think That which she saw almost struck her dead with horror The man whom his sister Introduced i as the Prlnco of Courtland was not I the knight of the tournament He was not the young prince of the summer i palace Ho was a man much older moro meager of body greyheaded 1 with an odd sidelong expression In his eyes His shoulders were bent and he carried himself like a man prematurely prema-turely old And there behind the altar railing clad In the scarlet of a prince of the church and wearing the mitre of a bishop stood tho husband of her hearts deep thoughts the man who had never been out of her mind all these weary months He hold a service book In his band and stood ready to marry Joan of Hohensteln to another Are you tho Prince of Courtland she asked and at the sound of her voice unwontedly clear In the great church even the organ appeared to still Itself All listened intently though only a few heard the conversation conversa-tion I have that honor bowed the man with the bent shoulders Then as God lives I will never marry you cried Joan all her soul in the disgust of her voice Be not disdainful my lady said the bridegroom mildly I will be your humble slave You shall have a palace and an establishment of your own an it like you The marriage was your fathers desire and hath the sanction of the emperor It is as necessary for your state as for mine Then while the people waited In a kind of palpitating uncertainty the Princess Margaret whispered to the bride who stood with a face as ashen pale as her white dress Vell she said finally I will marry this man since It is my fate Let the ceremony proceed I thank you gracious lady said the prince taking her hand and loadIng load-Ing his bride to the altar You will never regret it No but you will muttered his groomsman Prince Ivan of Muscovy The full rich tones of the prince bishop rose and fell through the crowded Minster as Joan of Hohen stein was married to his elder brother and with the closing words of the episcopal benediction an awe fell upon the multitude They felt that they were in the presence of great unknown forces the action and interaction of which might lead no man knew whither At the close of the service Joan now Princess of Courtland leaned over and whispered a word to her captain Maurice von Lynar an action noticed by few The young man I started and gazed into her face but immediately commanding his emotion he nodded and disappeared by a side door rime great organ swelled out The marriage procession was reformed The prince bishop had retired to his sacristy to change his robes Tho new princess of Courtland came down the aisle on the arm of her husband In the center of the Minster Place the 400 lances of the Kernsbcrg escort es-cort had formed up a serried mass of beautiful wellgroomed horses stalwart stal-wart men and shining spears from each of which the pennon of their mistress fluttered In the light wind On the steps of the Minster after they bad descended more than halfway half-way the new Princess of Courtland turned upon her lord Her hand I slipped from his arm which hung a 1 moment crooked and empty before It dropped to his side His mouth was I a little open with surprise Now my lord said l the Princess Joan loud and clear J have married you The bond of heritagebrother hood Is fulfilled I have obeyed my father to the letter I have obeyed the emperor I have done all Now bo It known to you and to all men that I will neither live with you nor yet In your city I am your wife In name i I You shall never be my husband In aught else I bid you farewell Prince of Courtlnnd Joan of Hoheasteln may marry where she is bidden bub she loves whore she will The horse upon which she had come to the Minster stood waiting There was the Sparhawk ready to help her I into the saddle Ere ono of the wedding guests could move to prevent her before the Prlrrco of Courtland could cryan order or-der or decide what to do Joan or tao enrora Hand nna placed herself at the head ot her 400 lances and was riding through the shouting streets toward tho Plassen burg gate As soon as they wore clear tho Princess Joan turned In her saddlo and spake to the 400 behind her We ride back to Kernsberg sho cried Joan of the Sword Hand Is wed but not yet won If they would keep her they must first catch her Are you with me lads of time hills There came a unanimous shout of Acto tho death I from 400 throats Then give me n sword and put the horses to their speed Wo ride for home Let them catch us who cant I And this was the true fashion of tho marrying of Joan of the Sword Hand Duchess of Hohenstein to the Prince Louis of Courtland by his brother Bishop Conrad cardinal and prince of the Holy Church CHAPTER XI What Joan Left Behind After the departure of his bride tho Prince of Courtland stood on the steps of the minster dazed and foundered I P 1J Y n t J l I I r t She stood fixed aghast by the shame which had so suddenly befallen him Bid the gates be shut prince Tho whisper came over his shoulder from a young man who had been standing all the time twisting his mustache mus-tache Bid your horsemen bit and bridle The plain Is fair before you It Is a long way to Kernsberg Let no wench in the world put this shame upon a reigning prince of Courtland upon his wedding day Thus Ivan of Muscovy attired In silk banded of black and gold counseled coun-seled the disdained Prince Louis who stood pushing upward with his two fingers the point of his thin greyish beard and gnawing its straggling ends between his teeth The Prince Louis appeared to bo moved by Prince Wasps words Ho turned about to the nearest knightin waiting Let us to horse every man of usl ho said Bid that the steeds bo brought Instantly The banded Wasp had further counsels coun-sels to gib Give out that you go to meet the princess at a rendezvous For a pleasantry between yourselves you have resolved to spend the honeymoon at a distant huntinglodge Quick Not half a dozen of all the company caught the true Import of her words You will tame her yet At the command of the prince tho trumpets rang out again the Boot amisaddle from the steps of tho cathedral At the sound the grooms who wero here and there In the press hasted to find and caparison tho horses of their lords Meanwhile on the wide steps the Prince Louis fretted dinting his nails restlessly into In-to his palms and shaking with anger and disappointment till his deep sleeves shook like scarlet flames in a veneering wind To be continued |