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Show JOANaSMTOEH) R; CR.O CKETT. Autftar of Tie&tffotSo (Copyright, 1898, 1900, by S. It. Crockett.) CHAPTER XXII. The Dropping of a Cloak. And bo, with the mounted guard of his own Cossack before him and be- rklnd, Prince Ivan carried his bride to .'Jjiurch through the streets of her nn-Tlvc nn-Tlvc city. , The great doors of tho cathedral had ' been lluown wldo open and the leathern leath-ern curt.'u withdrawn. Tho altar candles ant the lamps n-swlng In tho choir wlnled no brighter than yellow willow leaves seen through an autumnal autum-nal fog. Ilut as tho cortege dismounted dismount-ed the organ began to roll, and the people within rose with a hush like that which follows the opening of a window at night above tho Alia. The sonorous diapason of tho great Instrument disgorged Itself through tho doorway In wave after wavo of sound. The Princess Margnrot found herself again on her feet, uphold on either sldo by brother and lover. She was at first somewhat dazed with tho rush of accumulate disasters. Slowly her mind came bnck. Maurice where was Maurice? She turned about. The small, glittering eyes of Prince Ivan, black as sloes, were looking Into hers. She remembered remem-bered now. It was her own wedding. These two, her brother and her enemy, were cnrrylng out their threat. They had brought her to the cathedtal to wed her, against her will, to tho man i j,o hnted. Hut they could not. Sho Would tell them. Already sho was a but then. If she told thorn that, thoy would ride back and kill him. lletter that sho should perjure herself, condemn herself to hell, than that. Better anything than that. But what was sho to do? Was ever a poor girl so driven? "Margarot, you must como with us Into the cathedral." It was tho voice of her brother. "It Is necessary that tho Prince should wed you now. It has too long been promised, and now he can delay no longer. Besides, tho Black Death Is in the city, and this Is tho only hope to escape. Cornel" It was on the tip of Margaret's tongue to cry out with wild words, even as she had done at tho door of the river parlor. But the thought of Maurice, of the torturo and tho death, silenced her. She lifted her eyes, and Uierc. nt tho top of tho steps, were tho dignitaries of tho cathedral wait-lug wait-lug to lead tho solemn procession. "I will go!" she said. Sun laid her hand on her brother's arm ami began the ascent of tho long flight of stalrA. But even ns she did so, behind her there broko a wavo of sound the crying of many people, cAifused and multitudinous, like the Tfarnlng which runs along a crowded thoroughfare when n wild charger escaped from bonds threshes along with frantic flying harness. And lo! at the foot of tho steps, clad from head to foot In a clonk, tho sick Prlncesx Joan, sho whom the Black Death had stricken, leaped from her foaming steed, nnd drawing sword followed fiercely up the stairway after the marriage procession. Tho CossackH of the Muscovite guard looked at each other, not knowing whether to stand In her way or no. "Hold, there!" tho pursuer shouted, as sho set foot on the lowest step. "Lord! Surely that Is no woman's voice!" whispered tho peoplo who stood nearest, and their lower JawB dropped a little further In sheer wonderment. won-derment. Up the wide stops of tho Dom flow tho tall woman In tho flowing cloak. Her fnco was pallid aB death, but her eyes wore brilliant and her lips red. At tho sight of tho naked sword Prince Ivau plucked thu blndo from I (' "I am her. husband!" lis side and Louis shrank a little bell be-ll in 1 his sister. "Treason!" ho faltered. "What Is this? Is It suddou madness or tho i frenzy of thn Black Death?" I V'Tho PrlncesB Margaret cannot bo I Berried!" cried tho seeming Princess. I "To mo, Margaret! I will slay tho I man who lays a hand on you!" Obedient to that word, Margarot of Courtlond broke from between her brother nnd Prince Ivan and ran to tho tall woman, laying her brow on her breast. The Prlnco of Muscovy continued calm and Immovable "And why?" ho asked In a tono full of contempt. "Why cannot tho Princess Prin-cess "Morgnrot bo innrrled?" "Because," Bald the woman In th I long cloak, fingering a string at nor I neck, "she Is married already. I am her husband!" ' Tho long bluo cloak fell to tho ground, and the Sparhawk, clad In closo-flttlng squire's dress, stood before be-fore their astonished eyes. A long, low murmur, gathering and sinking, surged nbout tho square. Prlnco Louis gnsped. Margaret clung to her lover's nrm, and for tho space of a score of seconds tho whoto world stopped breathing. Prlnco Ivan twisted his mustacho ub If ho would pull It out by tho roots. "So," ho said, "tho Princess Is married, mar-ried, Is bIio? And you arc her husband? hus-band? 'Whom God hath Joined' nnd tho rest of It. Well, wo shall sec, wo shall see!" Ho spoko gently, meditatively, almost al-most caressingly. "Yes," cried tho Sparhawk, defiantly, defiant-ly, "wo wero married yesterday by Father Clement, tho Prince's chnplaln, In tho presence of the most noblo Leopold Leo-pold von Dcssauer, High Councillor of Plnssenburg!" "And my wife tho Princess Joan, whoro is she?" gnsped Prlnco Louis, so greatly bowlldered that ho had not yet begun to bo angry. Ivnn of Muscovy put out his hand. "Gently, friend," ho said: "I will unmask this play-acting sprlngald. This is not your wife, not tho woman you wedded and fought for, not tho Lady Joan of Hohcnstcln, but some basoborn brother, who, having her face, hath played her part, to mock and cheat and deceive us both!" Ho turned ngnln to Maurice too Lynar. "I think wo have met before, Sir Masquer," he said, with his usual suavo courtesy; "I have, therefore, a double debt to pay. Hither!" Ho beckoned to the guards who lined tho approaches. "I presume, sir, so true a courtier will not brawl beforo ladles. Vou recognize that you are In our power. Your sword, sir!" Tho Sparhawk looked all about the crowded square. Then he snapped his sword over his kneo nnd threw the pieces down on tho stone Bteps. "You arc right. I will not fight vainly vain-ly hero," he said. "I know it Is useless. use-less. But" ho raised his voice "bo It known to all men that my name Is Maurice, Count von Iocn, and that tho Princess Mnrgarct is my lawfully wedded wife. Sho cannot then marry Ivan of Muscovy!" Tho Prlnco laughed easily and spread his hand with gentle deprecation, depreca-tion, as tho guards seized tho Spar hawk and forced htm a llttlo space from the clinging hands or the Princess. Prin-cess. "I am an easy mnn," ho said gently, ns he clicked his dagger to and fro In Its Hheath. "Whon I llko a woman, I would ns lief mnrry her widow as maid! "Prince Louis." continued Ivnn, turning to the Prince, "wo are keeping those holy men needlessly, as well ns disappointing tho good folk of Court-land Court-land of their spectacle. There Is no need that wo should Btnnd hero any longor. Wo have matters to discuss with this gentleman and IiIb wife. Have I your leave to bring them together to-gether In tho palace? Wo may have something to sny to them more nt leisure." But tho Prlnco of Courtlnnd made no answer. Ho moved his hand angrily an-grily and began to descend tho stairs towards tho wnlting horses. Prlnco Ivnn turned townrd Maurice. "You will follow under escort of theso gentlemen of my stnfr," ho said with smiling equality of courtesy; "thoro la no need to discuss Intimate fnmlly affairs beforo half tho Nibble of Courtlnnd. Ho bowed to Maurice as If ho had boon Inviting him to n feast. Maurlco looked about tho crowded square, over tho pennons of the Cossacks. Ho know thero wns no hope either in flight or In rcslstnnco. All tho approaches ap-proaches to tho Bqunro had been filled up with armed men. "I will follow!" ho nnswored briefly. Hitherto wo hnvo had to do with the summer palnce by tho rlvoi", a building of no strength, nnd built moro ns n pleasure house for tho princely fnmlly than ns a place of permanent habitation. But the Castle of Courtlnnd Court-lnnd wns n structure of another sort. Sot on n low rock In tho center of tho town. Its walls rose continuous with its foundations, equally masslvo and Impregnable, to tho height of over sovonty feet. For tho-first twen-ty-flvo neither window nor grating broko tho grim uniformity of that mighty wall of rock. Above that lino only a fow small opeulngH half-closed with Iron bars evidenced tho fact that a great prlnco had his dwolllng within. with-in. Tho main entrance to tho Cnstlo was through n gateway closed by n grim Iron-toothed porllcullls. Then a short tunnel led to another and yet stronger defense n deep natural fosso which surrounded tho rock on nil sides and over which n drnwbrldgo conducted con-ducted Into the courtyard of tho cnstlo. Tho Spnrhnwk know very well that ho was going to his death as ho rode through the Htreets of tho city of Courtland, hut none would hnvo discovered dis-covered from his benrlng that thoro wns might upon his n Ind of graver concorn than tho fit of a doublot or, perhaps, tho favor of a pretty maid of honor. But with tho Princess Margaret Mar-garet It wns different, In theso last crowded hours she had quite lost her oli guy ilsflnnco. Her wholo heart t04'4 0 SKSA3, Vl ttiC UtTI won! not !4K ricb "VfcMk fca thought of tho to whirr, be was going with so manly a courago and so flno an air. Thoy dismounted in the gloomy court ynrd, and Maurice, slipping quickly from his saddle, caught Margaret Mar-garet In his arms as sho dropped nervously from tho saddle. She clung to him closely, knowing that It might bo for tho last time. "Maurice, Maurice," eho murmured, "can you forglvo mo? I havo brought you to this!" "Hush, sweetheart," ho answered in her ear; "bo my own dear princess Do not let them sec. Bo my bravo girl. Thoy cannot dlvldo our lovol" "Come, I beg of you," said tho dulcet dul-cet volco of Prlnco Ivan behind .them; "I would not for nil Courtland brenk In upon the billing and cooing of such turtledoves, wero It not that their affection blinds them to tho fact that tho men-at-arms and scullions nro witnesses wit-nesses to theso pretty demonstrations Tnrry n little, sweet valentines tlmo and place wait for all things." Tho Princess commanded hcrsclt "Till death do you part." quickly. In another moment sho wob Margarot of Courtland. "Even tho Prlnco of Muscovy mlghl spare a lady his Insults at such a time!" she said. Tho Prince bared his head and bowed low. "Nay," ho said very courteously; "you mistake, Princess Margaret. 1 Insult you not. I may regret yout taste but that Is a different matter Yet even that may amend. My quarrel Is with this gentleman, and It Is one of some standing, I believe." "My aword Is at your service, sir!'" said Maurice von Lynar, firmly. "Again you mistake," returned the Prince moro suavely than over; "you havo no sword. A prisoner, nnd (If I may say so without offenso) a spy taken rcdhnnd ennnot fight duels. Tho Prlnco of Courtland must settle this matter. When his Justlccr is satisfied I shall most willingly tnko up my quar rcl with whatever Is left of tho most noblo Count Maurice von Lynar." To this Maurice did not reply, but with Margaret still beside him ho followed fol-lowed Prince Louis up the narrow nnclent stairway called from Its shnpc Tho Couch. Into tho gloomy nudlcnco chamber of tho Cnstle of Courtland. They reached tho hall and then at lost, as though restored to power by his surroundings, Prlnco Louis found his tongue. "A guard!" ho cried; "hither, Berg-hoff. Berg-hoff. Kampenfeldt! Conduct tho Prln cess to her privy chamber and do not permit her to leavo It without my permission. I would speak with this fellow alone." Ivan hastily crossed over to Prlnco Louis and whispered In his ear. In the meantime, cro tho soldiers ot tho guard could nppronch, Mnrgarot cried out In n loud, clear volco, "I tnko you all to witness thnt I, Margaret of Courtland, am tho wifo of this man, Maurlco von Lynar, Count von Loon. Ho is my wedded husband, nnd I love him with nil my heart!" "You have forgotten the rest, fair Princess." Buggested Prlnco Ivan, subtly "till denth you do part!" (To bo continued.) |