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Show JOANS WTO1J (Copyright, 189S, 1900, by 8. n. Crockett.) CHAPTER XIII. Joan Stand Within Her Danger. So soon as Werner von Orseln returned re-turned to Costlo Kernsberg with news of the forcing of tho Alia and tho overwhelming numbers of tho Musco-'ylto Musco-'ylto hordes, tho Bnd-oyod Duchess of Hohcnstcin became onco moro Joan of tho Sword Hand. The Invndlng army must have numbered num-bered thirty thousand, at least. There were, all told, about two thousand In Kernsberg. Von Orseln, Indeed, could easily havo raised more. Nay, they would have come In of themselves by hundreds to fight for their Duchess, i but tho llttlo town could not food more. When Werner von Orseln and Peter Balta met tho Invader at the fords of tho Alia, Maurice von Lynar and Alt Plkkcr had remained with Joan, nominally nomi-nally to assist her dispositions, but t .Y.. really to form a check upon tho lm- " ' petuoslty of her temper. Now Von Orseln was hack again. Tho fords of the Alia were forced, and tho fighting Btrcngth of Kernsberg united Itself In tho Kaglo's Nest to make Its final stand. Aloft on the highest ramparts there was a terrace walk which tho Spar-hawk Spar-hawk much affected, specially when he was on guard nt night. It looked tow-ards tow-ards tho cast, and from It tho first glimpse of tho Courtlanders would bo obtained. Presently tho chief captain's step wan heard on tho stono turnpike. "Ha, Sparhawk." ho cried, "this Is cold ehcorl Why could wo not havo talked comfortably In hall, with a beaker of mead at one's elbow?" "I wanted to speak with jou on a matter wo cannot mention clsowherc," said Maurlco von Lynar. "How long can wo hold out If they bcslcgo us?" "Two months, certainly with luck, thrcol" "And what of tho Duchess Joan?' persisted tho young man. "Why, In tho same tltno sho will bo dead or wed!" said Von Orseln, with nn affectation of cnrelcssnoss easily SGcen through. "Wo must get her nwa)' to a placo of safety," Bald tho young man. Von Oiscln laughed. "Clot her? Who would pcrsuado or compel our lady? Whither would sho go? Would sho bo safer there than here? Would tho Courtlander not find ..i in twntifv.faiir tinnm thnt thero J-was no Joan of tho 8word Hand In Kernsberg, and follow her trail?" "Wo must pcrsuado her capturo her, compel hor, If necessary. Kernsberg Kerns-berg cannot for long hold out against both tho Muscovlto and tho Court-' Court-' lander." "What? Capturo Joan of tho 8word Hnnd and carry her off? Tho mead buzzos In tho boy's head. Ho grows i doty with anxloty and too much hard f alo." ( "Von Orseln," said tho youth, with I slmplo earncstncBS, not heeding his taunts, "I havo thought deeply. I seo 'I ' will cagorly go on roconnnlssanco If I you roprescnt It as necossnry. You I must tako ten good men nnd rldo north, far north, oven to tho edges of tho Baltic, to a plnce I know of, which nono but I and ono other can find. Thero, with a few trusty fellows to guard her, sho will bo safo till tho push of tho times Is over." "nut how," snld Von Orseln, meditating, medi-tating, "will you prevent her absonco being known? Tho passngo of so largo a party mny easily bo traced and rcmombered. Though our folk uro true enough and loyal enough, sooner or later whot Is known In tho Castlo is known In tho town, and what Is "What? Capture Joan of the 8word Hand and carry her off I" known In tho town becomes known to tbo enemy!" Maurlco von I.ynar loaned forward towards his chief captain and whispered whis-pered a few words In his ear. "Ah!" he said, and nodded. Then, nfter n pauso for thought, ho added, "That Is nono so III thought on for a beardless younkor! I will think It yover, sleep on It. nnd tell you my opinion opin-ion tomorrow! At any rate." tho chief captain growled to himself, "you havo a pretty part sot for mo. I may forthwith order my shroud. I shall never bo ablo to faco my lady agalul" '. Tho Duchi'Bs Joan was In high j ( spirits. It had been Judged necessary, in consultation with her chief offlivars I I to rldo a recouualssanco to ascertain whether tho advancing enemy had cut Kurnberg off towards the north. On this matter Von Orseln thought that her Highness had better Judge for herself. her-self. Hero at last was something to bo dono. It was almost llko tho old foraylug days, but now In a moro des-perato des-perato cause. No ono In all Castlo Kernsberg was to know 'of tho departure of this cavalcade. cav-alcade. Tho Sparhawk was appointed to command during Von Orseln's absence. ab-sence. Ten men only wero to go, and these picked and slftod riders chosen because of their powers of silence nnd because, being unmarried, thoy had no wives to worm secrets out of them. Joan and her chief captain rodo on' ahead, Von Orseln glancing keenly about lilm, and Joan riding free and careless, ns In old days when sho overpassed over-passed the hills to drlvo a prey from tho lands of her father's enemies. It was grey morning when they came to a goatherd'H hut nt tho top of tho green valley. Already they had passed tho bounds of HohcnBtcln by half n dozen miles. The goatherd had led his light skipping train to tho hills lor tho day, nnd tho rudo nnd chaotic remains of his breakfast wero still on tho table. Doris and Jorlnn clcnrcd these away, and, with tho trained alncrlty of seasoned men at arms, they placed before tho party a breakfast prepared with speed out of which they had brought with them and those things which they had found to their IumuI by fornglng In tho cottngo of tho goatherd to-wlt, sliced neat's tonguo dried In tho smoke, bread of flnu wheat which Jorlnn had carried nil tho way In a not nt his saddle sad-dle bow. Doris had charge of tho wine skins, nnd upon n shelf nbovo tho door they found a great butter pot full of freshly made curded goat's milk, very dollclous 1kUi to taste and smell. Of these things they nto nnd drank largely, Joan anil Von Orseln being together to-gether nt the upper end of tho table. Moris and Jorlnn had to sit with them, though much agalnht their wills, being be-ing (splto of their sweethearts) mora accustomed to tho company of honest men nt nrms than to tho prnctlco of dainty cntlng In ladles' society. Soon Joan of tho word Hand roso to hor feet, for tho es-mon at arms had fow words to say. "Lot us now mount and rldo homeward," home-ward," sho said, "thero aro no enemy to bo found on this northerly road. Wo shall bo moro fortunato upon another occasion." Then Werner von Orseln nerved' hlmiolf for a battlo moro serious than any ho had ever fought nt tho elbow of Henry tho Lion of Hohcnstcin. Hohcn-stcin. "My lady," ho said, standing up and bowing gravely before her, "you sco horo cloven men who lovo you far nbovo their lives, of whom 1 am tho chief. Two others also thero aro, who, though not of our nation, aro In heart Joined to us, especially In this thing that wo havo done. With all respect, your Highness cannot go back. Wo havo como out, not to mako a reconnaissance, but to put your Graco In a placo of safety till tho storm blows over." Tho Duchess had slowly risen to her feet, with her hand on tho sword which swung at her belt. "You hnvo suddenly gono mad, Werner!" Wer-ner!" sho snld; "let us havo no moro of this. I bid you mount and ride. Hack to Kernsberg, I say I Yo aro not such fools and traitors ns to deliver tho maiden Castle, tho Kaglo's Nest of Hohonsteln, Into tho hnnds of our enemies?" ene-mies?" "Nay," snld Von Orseln, looking steadily upon the ground, "that will wo not do. Kernsberg Is lu good hnnds, nnd will tight bravely. Hut wo cannot hold out with our fow folk nnd scanty provender against tho lenguer of thirty thousand. Nevertheless wo will not permit you to sacrlflco yourself for our snkos or for tho sako of tho women nnd children of tho city." Joan drew her sword. "Werner von Orcein, will )ou obey mo, or must I slay you with my hand?" sho cried. Tho chief captain yot further bowod his head nnd nbasod his oyes, "Wo havo thought also of this," he mado answer. "Mo you may kill, but theso that are with mo will defend thomsolves, though they will not strlko ono they lovo moro than tholr lives. Hut r.wn by man wo havo sworn to do this thing. At nil hazards you must abide In our hands till tho danger Is overpast. For mo (this ho added In a deeper tone), I am your immediate onicer. Thero Is nono to ro in o between us. It Is your right to slay me If you will. Mine Is tho re-sensibility re-sensibility for this deed, though tho design was not mine. Hero Is my sword. . Slay your chief captain with It If ou will. Ho has faithfully served your houso for flve-and-thlrty years. 'TIs perhaps tlmo ho rested now." And with theso words Werner von Orseln took his sword by tho point and offered tho hilt to his mistress. Joan of the Sword Hnnd shook with mingled passion and helplessness, and her eyes wero dark und troubled. "Put up your blade." she said, striking strik-ing tho hilt with her hand; "If you have not deserved death, no more have I deserved (his! Hut )ou snld that tho design was not yours. Who, then, has dared to plot against tho liberty of Joan of Hnlintiiitplii?" "I would I could claim tho honor,7 said Werner tho chief captain; "but truly tho matter camo from Maurlco von Lynar, tho Dane. It Is to bis mother, who nftor tho death of the Count von Lnar continued to dwell In a Bccrct strength on tho Daltlo shore, that wo aro conducting your Gracol" "Maurice von Lynar?" oxclalmod Joan, astonished. "Ho remains In Castlo Kernsberg then?" "Ayo," said Werner, rellovcd by hor tone, "ho will tako jour placo when danger comes. In morning twilight twi-light or nt dusk ho makes none so III a I-arty Duchess, nnd, 1' faith, his sword hand Is brisk enough. If tho town bo tuken, hotter that ho than you bo found In Castlo Kernsberg. Is tho thing not well Invented, my lady?" Werner looked up hopefully. Ho thought he lind pleaded his cause well. "Traitor! supplanter!" cried Joan Indignantly; "this Dano In my place! "Werner von Orseln, will you obey me?" I will hang him from tho highest win-, dow In tho Castlo of Kernsberg, if over I win back to mine own again." "My lady," said Werner, gently nnd respectfully, "jour servant Von Lynar bade me tell you that ho would as faithfully and loyally tako your placo now ns ho did on n former occasion!" "Ah," snld Joan, Hmlllng wanly with n quick change of mood, "I hope ho will bo moro ready to glvo up his privileges on this orcaslon than on that'" She was thinking of tho Princess Margaret nnd tho herltngo of troublo upon which, as tho Count von Loen, sho had caused tho Sparhawk to enter. Then n now thought seemed to strlko hor. "Hut my nurso and my women how can ho keep tho Imposture secret? Ho may pass beforo tho stupid oyes ot men. But thej' " "Thoy hnvo been sent out ot harm's way Into PlnaBcnburg. Thero Is not n' woman born of woman In nil tb-Castlo tb-Castlo of Kernsberg!" "Yes," mused Joan, "I hnvo Indood been fairly cozened. I gave that or-dor or-dor nlso by tho Dane's advice. Well, lot him havo his run. Wo wilt rcovo him a firm collar or hemp at tho end of It, and niaybo for Werner von Orseln Or-seln nlso, as a traitor allkn to his bread and his mistress. Till then I hopo you will both enjoy playing your parts." Tho chief captain bowed. "I am content, my lady," ho said respectfully. re-spectfully. "Now, good Jailors all," cried Joan, "lead on. I will follow. Or would you prefor to enr-y me with you handcuffed hand-cuffed nnd chained? I will go with you In whnt fashion sectneth good to my mnsters!" Sho paused and looked around tho llttlo goatherd's hut. "Only," she said, nodding her head, "I wnrn you I will tako my own tlmo nnd manner of coming hack!" Thero was a docp sllcnco as tho men drew their belts tighter and pro-pared pro-pared to mount nnd depart. (To bo continued.) |