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Show JOANS WD IP) (Copyright, 18DS. 1900, by S. It, Crockett.) CHAPTER XIV. lsle Rugen. At CYentldo of tho third dny of their journeying tho party came to a great moruss. The horses picked their way warily through this tangle, tho rotten sticks yleldltiK as readily as wet mud beneath tholr hoofs Tools of stag nant black water had to he evaded, treacherous yellow sands tested, bridges constructed of tho firmer logs, till all suddenly they came out upon a falryllke little half moon of sand and tiny shells. Hero was a largo flat bottomed boat, drawn up against tho shore. In tho torn n strnneo flcuro was seated, n man, tall and angular, clad In Jerkin and trunks of brown tanned leather, cross gartered hose of grey cloth, and homo made shoon of hldo with the hnlr outside. He wore a black scull cap, and his head hud tho strange un-. canny look of a wild animal. U was not at the first glanco nor yet nt the second that Boris and Jorlan found out tho cause of this curious appear-aucu. appear-aucu. Meanwhile, Werner von Orseln was putting luto his hand somo pledge or sign which he scrutinized carefully, when Jorlan gripped his companion's arm. "Look," ho whispered, "ho's got no cars!" "Nor any tongue!" responded Boris, staring with all his eyes at the prodigy. prod-igy. And, Indeed, tho strange man was pointing to his mouth with the Index finger of his right hand and signing that they wero to follow him Into the boat which had been waiting for them. The Duchess leapt from her horse and stopped from tho little pier of stono beside which tho boat lay, and walking firmly from scat to seat sho reached tho stern, whero she snt down without seeming to have bo much as glanced at any of the company. Werner von Orseln then motioned Captains Boris and Jorlan to tako their places In the bow, and having bared his head he seated himself beside be-side his mistress. Tho -wordless, car 'S less man took tho oars and pushed off. The ten men left on "tho shore set about building a flro nnd making J shelters of brushwood, as If they ex- ! pectcd to stay thero somo time. Tho boat passed almost noiselessly I along, the strango man rowing strong- ly and tho boat drawing stcndlly away across tho widest part of tho still Inland In-land sea. As they thus coasted nlong .A' tho gloomy shores tho sun went " down nnd darkness enmo upon them nt a bound. After a Bpaco tall trees again shot up overhead, and with a quick turn tho boat passed between walls of trembling trem-bling reeds that rustled against tho oars llko silk, emerged on a black tlrclo of water, nnd then, gliding smoothly forward, took ground In the blank dnrk. As the broad keel gratwl on tho sand, the Wordless Man left out, and, standing on tho shore, put his hands to his mouth nnd emitted a long shout I llko a blnBt blown on n conch shell. It had obviously a meaning for some-ono some-ono and to put tho matter beyond a doubt It wns answered by threo shrill whistles from behind the rampart of trees. Joan snt still In tho bont whero Bho had placed herself. Sho had asked no question, and cvon these strange experiences did not alter her resolution. resolu-tion. Presently a light gleamed uncertainly uncer-tainly through tho troos, now lost behind brushwood and again breaking break-ing out. S A tall figure moved forward with a t - step quick and firm. It was that of J a woman who carried a swinging Inn- "Follow mel" tern In hnr hnnd, from which wheeling ) lights gleamed through n scoro of vurlously colored llttlo plntos of horn. Standing Btltl on a llttlo woodon pier she hold tho lantern high, so that tho light fell on thoso In tho bout, nnd tholr faces looked Btrangoly whlto In that Illuminated clrclo, surroundod as It was by n pont housa of tcuso blnckness, black pines, black wator, black sky "Follow mo!" said tho woman, In a , dcop, rich voice a voice whoso tones fbdllod those who heard them to their hearts, so rich and low were somo of tho notes. Joan of tho Sword Hand roso to her feet. "I am tho Duchess of Hohcnsteln. and I do not leave this boat till I know in whnt plnco I nm, nnd who this may bo that crleft 'Follow!' to the daughter of Henry tho Lion!" The tnll womnn turned without bowing bow-ing and looked nt tho girl. "I nm the mother of Maurice von l.yuar, and this Is tho Islo Itugcn!" ijho said sinipl, ns if the answer were itll-mifllclent. Tho woman In the crimson clonk watted for Joan to be assisted from the bont, nnd then, without n word of greeting, led tho wny up n llttlo sand-cd sand-cd path to a gate which opened In a high stone wall. Through this sho admitted her guests, whereupon they found themselves In an enclosure with towers and battlements rising dimly nil round. Thou came n long, grey building, another door, low and creaking heavily heav-ily on unnccustomod hinges, a sudden burst of light, nnd lo! tho wnnderers found themselves within n lighted hall, wherein were ninny stands of arms and nriuor. mingled with skins of wild nnlnmls, wide-spreading, many-tlned many-tlned antlers, and other records of the chase. Tho woman who had been their guide now set down her lantern nnd allowed tho hood of her cloak to slldo from her bend. Werner nnd his two mnle companions, tho cnptalns of Pins-tenburg, Pins-tenburg, fell hack a llttlo at the apparition. appa-rition. They had expected to see some hig or crone, fit companion of their wordless guide. Instead, n womnn stood before them, not girlish certainly, nor yet In tho first bloom of her youth, but glorious oven nmong fair women by reason of tho ripeness of her beauty. The mother of that young paladin, their Sparhawk? It seemed Impossible. Impossi-ble. This womnn was too youthful, too fair, too bountiful In her gracious beauty to bo tho mother of such n tenso young yew-bow ns Maurice von L) nar. "My lady Joan," sho said, In the snmo thrilling voice, "my son has sent mo word Hint till n certain great danger dan-ger is overpnst you aro to abide with' me hero on tho Isle Itugen. 1 live alone, save for this ono mnn, 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 snfoty depends on the secrecy of our abode, as for many years my own llfo hns done. I nsk you, therefore, to respect re-spect our privacy, as also to Impose tho same upon your soldiers." Tho Duchess Joan bowed slightly. "As you doubtless know, I have not come hither of my own freo will," sho answered haughtily; "but I thank you, madam, for your hospitality. Hest nssurcd that the secrecy of your dwelling shall not bo endangered by mo!" Then with a largo gesture the elder Indicated tho way up tho broad stair case, and throwing her own cloak completely off she caught It across her arm as it dropped and so followed fol-lowed Joan out of sight. Instinct was so strong that, as soon as tho women had withdrawn them-solves them-solves upstairs, the threo captains started towards tho door to make tho round of tho defences. Tho Wordless Man uccompanled them unasked. Tho square enclosure in which they found themselves scorned llkcran old fortified farmhouse of grnngo than a regular castle, though tho walls wero thick as thoso of any fortress, being loop-holed loop-holed for musketry, and (In thoso days of bombardB few and heavy) capable cap-able of standing a slcgo In good earnest ear-nest against n small army. Tho threo captains returned through the hall Into n long (lining room vaulted vault-ed nhovo with beams of solid oak. Curtains wero drawn close all about tho walls. In tho recesses wore many stnnds of arms of good and recent construction, and opening a cupboard with tho freedom of si man at nrms, Doris saw ramrods, powder, nnd shot arranged In order, ns neatly us though ho had dono It himself, than which no better could bo said. In n llttlo while tho Pound of footsteps foot-steps descending the nearer stnlrcaso was heard. Tho Wordless Mnn moved to tho door nnd hold It open, ns Joan enmo In with a proud, high look on hor fnco. Von Lynnr's mother entered en-tered Immediately nfter hor guest, nnd It needed nothing more subtlo than Werner von Orsoln's masculine ncumeu to discern thnt no word had been spoken between them whllo they wore nlono. With n queenly gesturo tho hostess mo-tlonod mo-tlonod her guest to tho place of honor, nnd Indicating that tho threo soldiers were to tako their plncos at tho other sldo of tho table. Worner von Orseln moved nutomntlcally to obey, but Jorlan nnd Boris wore nlready at tho sideboard, dusting platters nnd making mak-ing them rendy to servo tho meal. "I thank you, madam," said Jorlan. "Wero wo hero as envoys of our master, mas-ter, Prlnco Hugo of PlneBonburg, wo would glndly and proudly sit nt meat with you. nut wo uro volunteers, and have nil our lives been men nt arms. Wo will thoreforo assist this ,ood Gentleman to serve, nn It plcnso you to permit us!" Tho Indy bowed slightly and for tho first tlmo smiled. "My son romnlns In Castlo Kerns-borg?" Kerns-borg?" she nsked, with an upward Inflection, In-flection, an Indescribable foftnoss at tho same tlmo overspreading hor face, nnd n warmth coming Into hor groy eyefi vhlcu showed what this woman might bo to those whom she really loved. "Ho koops the Castle, Indeed in Ms mistress's nbsenco and mine," tsM Wernor. "Ho will make a good soldier. sol-dier. Our lady has already made him Count von I.oon, that ho may bo tho equal of thoso who caro for such titles." A strange flash of remembrnnce and emotion passed over the faco of their hostess. "And your own title, my lord?" sho nsked after a little pause. "I am plain Werner von Orseln, freo rlttcr nnd faithful servant of my mistress mis-tress tho Duchess Joan, ns 1 was also of her father, Henry tho Lion of Hohcnsteln." "! have now no faithful servants," said tho young Duchess at last, breaking break-ing her cold silence; "I have only tral-tors tral-tors ind Jailers about me." With that sho became once more silent. si-lent. A painful restraint fell upon tho sits! I w "The secrecy of your dwelling shall not be endangered by me." threo who sat at table, and though their hostess and Werner von Orseln partook of tho fish and brawn and fruit which their three servitors set before them In silver platters, it was but sparingly and without appetite. All were glad when tho meal was over and they could rise from tho table. As soon as possible Boris and Jorlan got outside Into the long pas-sago pas-sago which led to tho kitchen. "Jorlnn," said Boris, solemnly' lowering low-ering his voice to a whisper, "If that Courtland fellow had known what wo know, he would havo been none so eager to get her homo to bed and board!" "Ico will melt even Baltic ice!" said Jorlan sententious))'. "Yes, but greybeard Louis of Court-land Court-land Is not tho man to do tho melting!" melt-ing!" retorted Boris. "But I know who could," said Jorlan, nodding his head with an air of Immense sagacity. "Who?" said Boris, shortly. Tho door of tho kitchen opened slightly and tho tall woman stood a moment with tho latch in her hand, ready to enter. "Our Sparhawk could melt tho Baltic Bal-tic Ice!" said Jorlan, and winked at Boris with his left eye In a sly man ner. Whereupon Boris dropped his knlfo and, seizing Jorlan by tho shoulders) ho thrust him down upon a broad stool. Then ho dragged the platter ot brawn before him and dumped the mustard pot beside it upon tho deal tablo with a resounding clap. "Thero!" ho cried, "fill your Billy mouth with that, Katsldes! 'Tls all you are good for. I have stood a deal of fine larded Ignorance from you In my time, but nothing like this. You will bo saying next that my Lady Duche8B might tako a fancy to you!" "Sho might do worse!" said Jorlan philosophically, as ho stirred the mustard mus-tard with his knlfo and looked about for tho ale tankard. (To bo continued.) |