Show j JOAN rnJ m I 3 5 RCROCKETTlllifior a7IleR d J CSC I teosu light 1S3S WOO by S U Crockett CHAPTER VIIIContinued At the lltto chalet among tho hills where the Duchess Joan had so suddenly sud-denly disappeared they found two of her lire maidens and her aged nurse I Impatiently awaiting their mistress To them entered that composite and II puzzling youth the exarchitect and secretary of the embassy of Plassen i hurg Johann Count you Locn And wonder of wonders In an hour Joan of the Sword Hand was riding eagerly towards her capital city with her duo retinue as If she had been only taking a little summer breathing space at a country seat It was six months afterwards that the Sparhawk who had been given the command of a troop of good Hohen stein lancers asked permission to goon go-on a journey I Whither would you go asked Ills mistress To Courtland he confessed somewhat some-what reluctantly looking down at tho peaked toe of his tanned leather riding rid-ing boot And what takes you to Courtland said Joan you are In danger there Besides would you leave my service and engage with some other Nay my lady he burst out that will not I so long as life lasts Dut but tho truth Ishe hesitated as he spoleeI cannot got out of my mind the Princess who kissed me In the dark The like never happened before to any man I cannot forget her do what I will No nor rest till I have looked upon her face Wait said Joan Only wait till the spring and it is my hap to ride to Courtland for my marriage day Then I promise you you shall see somewhat of herthe Lord send It be not more than enough So through many bitter days the Sparhawk abode at the castle ot Kernsberg ill content CHAPTER IX The Sparhawk In the Tolls It was the end of May and the full bursting glory of a northern spring l I when at last the bridal cavalcade wound down from the towers of the Castle of Kernsberg As they rode toward the gate of Courtland they were aware of a splendid splen-did cavalcade which came out to receive re-ceive them In the name of the prince and to conduct them with honor to tho palace prepared for them In the center of a brilliant company I rode tho Princess Margaret At sight of the duchess party the princess alighted from her steed with the help of a cavalier At the same moment Joan of the Sword Hand leaped down of her own accord and camo forward to meet her new sister The face of the princess showed a trace of emotion She appeared to be struggling with some recollection she was unable to locate with precision I hope you will be very happy with my brother she faltered then after a moment she added Have you not perchance a brother of your own But before Joan could reply a representative repre-sentative of the prince had come forward for-ward to conduct the bride elect to her rooms and the princess gave place to him But all the same she kept her eyes keenly about her and presently they rested with a sudden brightness upon the young Dane Maurice von Lynar at the head of his troop of horses Ho is differenthe is changed she said to herself hut how wait till we get to the palace and I shall soon find out And immediately she caused it to be intimated that all the captains of troops and the superior officers of the escort of the Duchess Joan were to be entertained at the palace of the Princess Prin-cess Margaret So at that moment when Joan was ll 1 1 1 I l j y m < J l i e I I 4 I Have you not perchance a brother of your own taking her first survey of her chambers cham-bers which occupied one entire wing of the great palace of the Princess of Courtland Margaret the Impetuous had already commanded the presence of tho Count von Loen one of tho commanders of tho bridal escort The Princess Margaret was standIng stand-Ing by the window as the young man entered Her golden curls flashed in the late sunshine which mode a hind of haze of light about her head as she turned the resentful brilliance of her eyes upon Maurice von Lynar Is It a safe thing think you Sir Knight to Jest with a princess In her own land and then come back to flout her for It Maurice understood her to refer to the kiss I given and returned in the darkness of tho night Ho know not of how many other Indiscretions ho was now to bear tho brunt or ho had turned on the spot and fled once more across tho river Princess ho said standing humbly hum-bly before her I did wrong But consider con-sider the temptation the darkness of the night Tho darkness of tho night she paid stamping her foot and In an instinctively In-stinctively mocking tone you are Indeed In-deed well Inspired You remind mo of what I ventured that you should bo free Tho darkness of the night Indeed In-deed I suppose that Is all that sticks In your memory because you gained something tangible by it You havo forgotten the walk through tho corridors corri-dors of tho palace all you taught me In the rose garden undand how apt a pupil you said I was Pray good Master Forgetfulness who hath forgotten for-gotten all that tell mo what you did in Courtland eight months ago I call1eI came faltered the Spar hawkfearful of yet further committing himself I camo to find and save my dear mistress Yourdearmistress Tho princess prin-cess spoke slowly and the blue eyes hardened till they overtopped and beat down the bold black ones of Maurice von Lynar and you dare to tell mo thisme to whom you swore that you had never loved woman In the world before never spoken to them word of wooing or compliment Out of my sight fellow The prince my brother will deal with you Then all suddenly her pride gave way The disappointment was too keen She sank down on u silkcov ered ottoman by the window side sobbing sob-bing Now Maurice von Lynar was not quick in discernment where woman was concerned but on this occasion ho recognized that he was blindly playing play-ing the hand of another a hand moreover more-over of which ho could not hope to I ECO the cards Ho did the only thing which could have saved him with the princess He came near and sank on one knee before her Madam he said humbly and in a moved v < ice I beseech you not to be i angry not to condemn mo unheard In tho sense of being in love I never loved any but yourself I would rather I die than put the least slight upon one so surpassingly fair whoso memory has never departed from me sleeping or waking whose Image dimly seen has never for a moment been erased from my hearts tablets But you said Just now that you came to Courtland to see your dear mistress The young man put his hand to his headYou You must bear with me he eald if perchance for a little my words are wild I had indeed no right to speak of you as my dear mistress Oh it was of mo that you spoke said tho princess beginning to smile a little I begin to understand Of what other could I speak said the shameless Von Lynar who now began to feel his way a little clearer I have Indeed been very ill and when I am in straits my head Is still unsettled It springs from a secret wound that at the time I knew nothing noth-ing of As ho kneeled thus the princess bent over him with a quizzical expreSsion expreS-sion on her face You are sure that you speak the truth now Your wound Is not causing you to dote Nay said the Sparhawk Indeed tis almost healed Where was the wound queried the princess anxiously There were two answered Von Lynar diplomatically one in my shoulder at the base of my neck and the other more dangerous because internal in-ternal on the head Itself Let mo see She came and stood above him as he put his hand to tho collar of his doublet and unfastening a tie he slipped It down a little and showed her at the spring of his neck Werner von Orselns thrust And the other sho said covering it up with a little shudder that on the head where Is it The youth blushed but answered valiantly enough It never was an open wound and so Is a little difficult to find Here where my hand Is above my brow Hold up your head said tho princess prin-cess On what side was It7 On tho right Strange I cannot find It You are too far beneath me Tho light falls not aright Ah that is better Von Lynar looked at the princess Their position was one as charming as It was dangerous They were kneeling opposite to one another their faces drawn together by the Interest of the surgical examination had approached ap-proached very close The dark eyes squarely looked Into tho blile With stuff Inflammable fire and tow In such conjunction who knows what conflagration might have ensued had Von Lynars eyes continued thus to dwell on those of the princess But the young mans gaze passed over her shoulder Behind Margaret of Courtland he saw a man standing at the door with his hand still on tho latch A dark frown overspread his face Tho princess Instantly con sclous that the Interest had gono out of the situation followed the direction of Von Lynars eyes She rose to her l feet as the young Uano also had done moment before Maurlco recognized the man who stood by tho door as tho same whom ho had seen on tho ground In the yew tree walk when ho and Joan of the Sword Hand had faced tho howling mob of tho city For tho second tlmo Prlnco Wasp had Interfered with tho amusements of tho Princess Margaret Tho lady looked haughtily at tho intruder in-truder To what she said am I BO fortunate for-tunate as to owe the unexpected honor of this visit I camo to pay my respects to your highness said Prince Wasp bowing low I did not know tho princess was amusing herself It is my 111 fortune not my fault that I Interrupted Interrupt-ed at a point to full of interest You are at liberty to leavo me now said tho princess falling back on a certain haughty dignity which she leapt behind her headlong Impul slvcncss I obey madam ho replied but first I have a message from your brother He asks you to be good i i II 1 I i 1 l I Only In the heart she added enough to accompany his brldo to the minster tomorrow Ho has been III all day with his old trouble and cannot can-not wait In person upon his betrothed Ho must abide In solitude for this day at least Your highness Is apparently more fortunate Tho purpose of the Insult was plain but tho Princess Margaret restrained herself not however hating the Insulter In-sulter less I pray you Prlnco Ivan she said return to my brother and tell him that his commands are ever an honor and shall bo obeyed to the letter Sho bowed In dignified dismissal Prince Wasp swept his plumed hat along the floor with tho depth of his retiring salutation and In the same moment ho flashed out his sting I leave your highness with less regret re-gret as I perceive that solitude has Its compensations he said Tho pair was left alone but all things seemed altered now Margaret of Courtland was silent and distrait Von Lynar had a frown upon his brow and his eyes wero very dark and angry Next time I must kill the follow he muttered Ho took tho hand of tho princess and respectfully kissed It I am your servant he said I will do your bidding In all things in life or in death If I have forgotten anything In aught been remiss bellovo me that it was fate and not I I will never presume pre-sume never count on your friendship past your desire never recall your ancient goodness I am but a poor soldier sol-dier but at least I can faithfully keep I my word The princess withdrew her hand as If sho had been somewhat fatigued Do not lA afraid sho said a little bitterly I shall not forget I have not been wounded In the head Only In the heart she added as she turned away awayTo To bo continued |