| Show am GIF 11 V L 1 iv 7 7 3 5 RC P 0 C K FT T at a rol py er I 1 lh hah 1900 by 8 it II r t ic 1 lt it I 1 CHAPTER III joan draws first blood the word ord it f command urn am full fall and trong strong from the open cloore of tl hall lans hans ernd cam lus antly to the acutt calcutt elih lilt tit th ball in ili ill his hant hand ile he biad no difficult in eifling I 1 11 ow low 1 11 tad fact it i lid not it ii alit alii to it it down low n I 1 vi rv man in ili 1 li hull capt th two captains of I 1 I 1 in ili bad ri 4 it 0 i lik his f i nn an I 1 ht n 1 d I ts in it if fd ed in tri irl it 1 I 1 lor or ili ih r in tile adora do ora lir hr tint slim figure and xe c coro iii anding and h r beautiful lyes lyea shin ine with indignation stood the duch ess joan of f in bt rn rii all silence tice she nhe d into info the he hall ever man standing fix bt at attention keep omir hand so lions liana trenck tam their mastil is kle glie me ma your sword you shall hhall feo bee abeth er cr I 1 am called joan of the sword for naught loll 1011 ou would mould would mould on oil after what I 1 have said bald 1 loll 1011 up I 1 say bay lima fling Tre and so no man inna saying hr h r nna the girl took the shining blade anti and with a prelim preliminary inary through the air and a balancing shake shahe to fel feel the clastic tl return she looked at the tha poor knave fixed before lir in the ef cueter liter of tile tho hall with mith lilt aalst to hold th ball aloft at tho the biresch of tits his arm what whal wonder onder it if it like a branch it in an un stady wand inda there sold joan anti anil bhe drew bat bai li it lit ht i arm for the stroke ahe loung dano dane mh who 0 inca bar en clr francc had loolie at nothing the radiant bially of tin lincun boole him now ailed out he heartis aLtis sake bake ladi do not oil fill lit tin hilt of your arva with hn his villain llo lie hut but obea obeyed ed tits his orders I 1 et el nio me be set het free and I 1 will mill light hlin him or ony any man la in the lie castle and if I 1 am beaten let them nia me till I 1 am or ar rion fit it only to be thrown into the castle dath tho the duchess paused and loaned leaned on the avoid holding it point to tile the rat aith th vy BY chope orders ordera will was this thia thing lone she demanded by mille my lady said werner von orsola a deep flush upon ills his manly hiow blow the glit looked severely at him abe ho bac inel I 1 to m aver yontl thull she bhe said tho rano dano shall flacht wor nor for his life loose him and cliate chafe his bit wrists hot there bring a dozen bioni tho the arr not y the faluba mas aa now rising to tho tha boya cheek check 11 I 1 thank you duct duchess legs lie he said 1 I ask no mole moia than this 0 0 out into the HOW cried the 1110 young duches joan pointing the way mith ft ath werners tiers amord which sho she still held in her hand and going first the she went foith giom the ali hall ball of the so bol diery down doan the broad sti stairs tIrs and soon boon through a lo watched door with a sculptured coat coal alf arroa over it out ont into the tha of the courtyard werner fol followed lomed unwillingly and mith ft a deep flush of oc shame upon his brow meanwhile the lad ind had been freed from his big bonds bond and with mith a sword in hla his hand bond lInx himself hlin for the aik oik before him with quick little guards and feints and attacks there was it proud look in his bis eyes and as ills hla glanco 1 left ft the dubens und rove roval I 1 round tho the circio of his toes it flashed full bold and defiant werner turned to a lean no bo hamlan who ulio stood a little apart reter peter calta balta lie he said will you yon be AJ rt aj 2 0 A good bood right clears all replied the youth my se conill and who win will care for my bonom ble opponents opponent do not trouble that will aaa isei Itsel fl ft bald ull joan to her calet captain 1 t with that she bhe alabed lightfoot into t one e har low doors into i ethl the fia nixing turrets arx ol 01 the qua anji and ina tierce of senas she again A a dress I 1 I 1 her ainee J m du a ac c s in n r r the d u P h r the I 1 r n wee had this darif and ut ui joan bm broth i and lm r lit tin N i not hav bay vor a h mort mon tit tin y hald aid devil deon blush rose to the auth n s swarthy fac I 1 mi im not orahn he be said bald anti it pt pi lila ills eyes eye upon the lithe of tin mil in its armav ai or of well fitting gr r n I 1 cannot thank you ho he tudd again tut till she an suid anh ansurd wid worthy un worthy thank what hat aval UK lilt si 41 upon the ahe mountains of kerns W h rg r and in the eastle of joan of the sword A good bunt a mey merry fight a quick death these are more to the purpose thin than many thanks und and compliments piter lalta are you werner verner come hither let UP its try ry the swords will not those these two served serve guard smitten teril there ther e enough what ou oil ate aie touched on the sword aim mma balth I 1 alth man for the I 1 forgot forgo hot it was as not you and I 1 who wore were to drum now then hen maurice von linar werner at the salute ready fall to I 1 I 1 give tho the five min tiles said dorla boris to jorian after the ural first pass it was little more than forms formal and save gave no token of what was to to fol low yet for full nil twenty minutes weiner von tile lie oldest sword er ot of all the north from the marshes of willia to the hills lillas of silesia could do nothing but bill stand on the he deafen give alve so BO florce and ln assant were mere the attacks of the he youna dane tho the li with him hold fald borla horla t hla big breath borlan ile HP had no arf to m waste aste put nut he la Is not going to kill him he has as not tie he death in his eyel eye boris apol with for so BO it proved wrner wi rn r lifted llod d an eyebrow fr for the he of a homond toward hla his and otto lit at the end of tit tin rally his boid just touch d lih his young on lie ha aboul tl kr r and the blood answered the thrust th white andel dou blot blet of th dan anik then threw down hla his sword ani and holti hold out lit hl hand A well mell tall lall lie he said I 1 let its iia bo be friends we nd n d lada inda of euch cuch to ride tin th foiada from the lie bills of heinsberg Herns berg I 1 am sorry I 1 ballad iou Spar baMO awL A good fight cleais all replied tile youth smiling in ills turn bring it a bandage tor for his big shoulder peter daltan cried joan mine was the clea clennei ripi which moot tIl lough our great muscle but werners Is somewhat tile alio dier you can keep each othel otlien company lit at the dice box those choso next days anti and as I 1 warr warrant a nt neither of ou hns a I 1 guilder g allder to bless blea with iou lan can 0 eon on play piny for love till ou wear mear out the pips bips with alth throw th roving leiff alu I 1 ani am not to so go bark back to the dungeon bald the lad one nason of chobe had been that he be also lifted his big ees eeb for a moment to of lilt second 7 lo 10 0 pi albun ison no said joao joan iou on ate aio one of ua its now we have blooded 3 oil PO do you j tale service with mith me 1 I hai eftie 0 no chogro lour our father left me itoney none the th pid lil replied quickly altering hla fits castle lynar Is no mole luoie sly my r my ni ollir find my uncles are nil all lead dead and there Is small service in going back to don den mark bhore there nio more than of gentlemen with mith no wealth but their avoids anti and no thing living but their gentilley if ion ou m will ill let me serve in tile the ranks duchins joan I 1 shall be will conff content ritt I 1 albo slid said joan heaitley we are till all free in heinsberg Ke Xe insberg even it if we are not all equal we will try you lu in tho the ranks first CHAPTER IV tho the cozening of the ambassador the next moment joan bad pealed grid and when she was seen again she had nasu assumed aled tho the skirt she had previously worn over her dress of tor for ester aud and was again the sedate lady jadv of the castle ready to lead the d dince ince grace the banquet or entertain the high states stale a councillor ot of plassen birg b leopold ion on Den dessauer sauer but when bhe went moot upstairs she met on the middle flight a grey beard ed matt man with ith a blell pap cap of blick velvet upon ills his head ills ilia dress also was of llach of a plain richness i and dignity whither away ambassador the sho cried rally gaily at sight of him 10 lo see our principals wound and that hat of tho the other whom hom your sword countered in a trial boltl whitt what you bawl said the duch ess with mith a quick kutck flush I 1 am indeed ledged not to he be blind sold Dessau eri and never did I 1 BOO a right bight that roe me mole moie I 1 aro am an old man inan and I 1 have seen many fair AD women men many acet prin besses each perfect t to their lowers some ot of them even perfect to their lords ruf but I 1 have nevor never bedois seen a dehess joan of 0 ambassadors ambassador caid the tha girl lit ir yon ol 01 speak thus anti anil without that flah fish tit bt the th eyel eye I 1 shall hm ha to bet bettink bInk me jhc lilier come coma not as an am bounder foy for jour wan own bausy loll 1011 w are the he onty only man I 1 beyor ear who mil can loveana love and itt 10 bd toler tolerable ablo to la a pit thakoiy tha Kiy fatmir loft ft las ir lito hia 1 I thail p the ll 11 na boint 1 h oil tery r b 0 live e my lord she sai ball I 1 ia it 11 true inie that sou oil go to courtland Cou after leming leading our poor s t nest up hw het on the cliffs of the Kerr kerrima rg von bowed smiling at h her loan or of the sword cla lied her I 1 handy a ads and drew a long breath i A would not ask it 11 of any man in the but bul yours yourn it iha h bold bald but will ou let rn nn go with wit ou A shade ot anxiety panned over jeg dea sauca s count nance M lad he be d von oti let m nn us IM many fret domn doing ot of opt 1 11 with A iab you it Is IF the privilege 4 f ag and frailty dut but let lei me lei all loii ou that thai tb ih thing it ih plainly foolish W 11 1 I am coming at any rate hold hald joan a it il rejecting in nn nt and falling failing bark back upon assertion mak mah tour dour count with that friend of mine whether hether you are stockel or no it I 1 Is the penalty a respectable apte diplomatist has haa to pay for cultivating tile the of lone females like loan oan of von dessauer Deay auer held up his hands bands in horror that was mole than halt of af fetch at jirl tie he said i might be your you grandfather it Is truo but do not it mand me of it too often but if I 1 more pro your great great grandfather the thing ou oil propose la Is still impossible I 1 at the point of her rapaerl raple ra pierl rIll shall the future PrInc princes hs of courtland and bilna llna ride to in the train of an am cassador bas gador of Ilas to the ali palace in which she li N soon to reign as aa queen I 1 got not that I 1 mould go us its the duchess said hald joan speaking low ill 1 I you will not have the duchess joan ion on hollenstein Holi enstein what sav eav ou on to the it a second johann the ea dessauer starlon I 1 you dare not he said gold AN why by chera Is not F ft lady in tile german gennan land bioni dommia to the baltic that dares do as aa much I 1 aila s I 1 am lck for ever of licar hear ilia in hut hill a lady must not do tills this or thal dial go lit t v or thin th r bc b tube of tier fo 0 fyalla n imputation I 1 cart for my 0 own n 1 I mod none to take up my cwi emriel rt c I 1 if any have a word mord to bay upon the repute of joan of the boid athy by let him say it at the point of tier her rapier Desba De abauer tiet brood wavering with quick tact act site sho altered her tone and mith a sott soft accent and in a melting voice she sald hold ali ah let me come I 1 will mill make such a creditable squire all in a suit of blue and silver with just a touch of a juice upon toy my face that my old nurse the secief or of von dessauer Dos eauer capitulated A wil all tul ful woman oman ho he smiled broiled a milfus wilful woman well I 1 am not rf spon sible for ought aught of his big save for my own mcak weakness nesi in permitting it it Is a madcap frcak and no good will mill como come ot of it dut but bou j on A will ill 1110 it she said oh yes you mill W like ille it vet veil much lor aou ou see you are fond of niad caps to be continued |
