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Show (Copyright, 189S, 1900, by S. It. Crockett.) Chapter XXX. Continued. Sho clasped her hands, going a step or two nearer Boris as If In appeal. a. "Do, kind sirs," she Bald, "have pity -on two poor girls who hnvo no work to do. Think wo aro orphans and far from homo!" "I will have this one she Is bo merry t" cried solemn Doris, seizing Anna Pnppcnhelm about the waist. "And I this! Sho pretundoth melancholy, mel-ancholy, yet has tricks like a mon-keyl" mon-keyl" Bald Jorlnn, quickly following his example. Tho girls fended thorn gallantly, yet, as mayhap they deslrod their case was hopeless. In this pro3pcrous estate was the courtship of Kranconla and Flnssen-burg, Flnssen-burg, when some lni.lnct drew the eyes of Jorlan to the door of tho guard-room, which Anna had carefully left open at her entrance, In order to sccuro their retreat. Tho Duchess Joan stood there silent and regardant. Tho next moment both tho late envoys en-voys of Plassenburg woro saluting as stiffly as If they had still been men-at-arms, whllo Anna and Martha, blushing blush-ing divinely, were busy with their needlework In tho corner, as demuro as cats caught sipping cream. Joan looked at the four a whllo without with-out speaking. "Captains Uorls and Jorlan," fiho Bald Bternly, "a messenger has como from Prlnco Conrad to say that tho Muscovites presB him hard. He asks for Instant reinforcements. There Is not a man fit for duty within the city save your command. Will you take them to tho Prince's nsslstanco Immediately? Im-mediately? Werner von Orseln fights by his side. Maurice and my Korns-bcrgers Korns-bcrgers are already on their way." "My lady, It Is heartbreaking, but wo cannot," said Uorls dolefully. "Our Lord Prlnco Hugo bade us keep tho ilty till ho should arrive!" "Cowards!" cried Joan, "I will go nyself. Tho cripples, tho halt, and :ho blind shall follow me. Thora of Dornhcim and thoso maidens there they shall "follow mo to tho rescue of their Prlnco." And at this her voice broke nnd sho lobbed out, "Cowards! cowards! cowards!., cow-ards!., Qod preserve mo from cowardly coward-ly men!" I Boris looked at Jorlan. Jorlan looked look-ed at Doris. "No, madam," said Doris gravely; "your servants aro no cowards. It Is true that wo wero commanded by our master to keep his Palaco Guard with-In with-In tho city walls, and theso must stny. But we two aro In Homo senso still Envoys Extraordinary, and not strictly i of tho Prince's Palace Guurd. As En-voys, En-voys, therefore, charged with a free commission In tho Interests of peace, wo cm without wrongdoing nccom-pany nccom-pany you Whither you will. Eh, Jorlan?" , "Ay," quoth Jorlan; "wo aro at her Hlghness's" service till ten o' tho clock." "And why till ten?" asked Joan, turning to go out. "Oh!" returned Jorlan, "there Is guard-changing and other matterB to see to. But thero is tlmo for a wealth of fighting beforo ten. Lead on, madam. ma-dam. Wo follow your Highness!" It was a strange, uncouth band that Joan had got together In a handful I of minutes In order to accompany her to tho field upon which, sullenly retiring re-tiring beforo tho vastly moro numerous numer-ous enemy, Conrad und his littlo army stood at bay. Tho two captains turned away In disgust. They walked to and fro a littlo apart, and Doris, who loved all nnlmals, kicked a dog that camo his way. Doris was unhappy. Ho- avoided avoid-ed Jorian's eyo. At last ho broke out: "Wo cannot let our Lady Joan set forth for field with such a following i yN of murapors and tun-barrels as tlicso!" ho said. ' Boris confided this, as It were, to tho housetops. Jorlan apparently did not "Cowards! Cowards! Cowards!" listen. Ho wiib clicking his dagger u In Its sheath, but from his noxt word 7 It was ovldont that his mind had not been lnoctlvo. "What oxcuso could wo mako to Hugo, our P,rlnco?" ho said at last.' "Scarcely did he bollevo us tho lost tlmo. And on this occasion wo have bis direct orders." "Aro wo not still Envoys?" queried Boris. "And as Envoys of a great principality llko PlaHsonburg ropro-lentntlves ropro-lentntlves of tho most noblo Prlnco Und Princess In this Emptro, should wo not rldo with rotluuo duo nnd fitting? That la not taking tho Palaco Ouard Into battle. It Is only affording pro- tectlon to their Excellencies' representatives." repre-sentatives." "That sounds well enough," answered answer-ed Boris doubtfully, "but will It stand probation, think you, when Hugo scowls at us from under his brows?" "Well," said Jorlan, "at all ovonts, thero Is always our Helene. I think we mny risk It." "True," meditated Doris, "you say well. There Is always Helene. Tho Llttlo Playmato will not let our necks bo stretched! Not at least for buc-courlng buc-courlng a Princess In distress." In a short quarter of on hour tho drums of tho Plassenburg Palaco Ouard nad beaten to arms. From goto to gato the light sca-wlnd had borne tho cheerful trumpot call, nnd when Joan returned, heartless and downcast, with half a dozen moro mouldy rascals, smelling of muck-rakes and damp stable straw, sho found before her moro than half the horsemen of Plas-Benburg Plas-Benburg armed cap-a-pie In burnished steel. Whereat she could only look at Doris In astonishment. "Your Highness," said that captain, saluting gravely, "wo aro only ablo to accompany you as Envoys Extraordinary Extraordin-ary of tho Prlnco and Princess of Plas-senburg. Plas-senburg. Dut as such wo feel It our duty In order prcyerly to support our State to take with us a suitable attend-antfo!" attend-antfo!" Doforo Joan could reply a messenger camo spurring up tho long, narrow streets. Joan took tho letter and opened It with a Jerk. "From High Captain von Orseln to tho Princess Joan. "Como with all speed, If you would bo In tlmo. Wo are hard beset. Tho enemy aro all nbout us. Prlnco Conrad Con-rad has ordered a charge!" Tho face of tho woman whitened ns Bhe read, but at the samo moment tho fingers of Joan or tho Sword Hand tightened upon tho hilt. Sho rend tho letter aloud. Thero was no comment. Doris cried an order, Jorlan dropped to tho rear, and tho retlnuo of tho Envoys En-voys Extraordinary swung out on tho road towards the great battle. Ab Joan and tho war-captains of Plassenburg camo nearer thoy heard a low growling roar llko tho distant sound of tho breakers on tho outer shoro at Isle Itugen. It roso and fell ns tho fitful wind boro it towards them, but It never entirely ceased. They dashed through tho fords of tho Alia, the three hundred lances of tho Plassenburg Guard clattering eagerly behind them. Joan led, on a black horse which Conrad had given her. Tho two war-captains with one mind set their steel caps moro firmly on their heads. Thoy camo nearer. A fow wreaths of smoke, hanging over tho yet distant field, told where Rubs nnd Teuton mot in battlo array. A solemn, slumberous reverberation heard at intervals split tho dull general roar apart. It was tho now cannon which hml como from tho Margraf George to help beat back tho common foe. Then thoy began to pass limping men hasting cltywar., with fleeing and panic-stricken wretches wretch-es who looked over their shoulders as If they saw steel flashing at their backs. "Kemsborg!" cried Joan, her sword high In tho air, as sho set spurs In her black stallion and swept onward n good twenty yards beforo tho rush of tho horsemen of Plassenburg. Joan's quick glance about her for Conrad told her nothing of his whereabouts. where-abouts. Dut the two war-captains, moro experienced, perceived that tho Muscovites woro already everywhoro victorious. Their wings outflanked and overlapped tho slender array of Courtland. Only about the, cannon and on tho far right did any seem to be making a stand. "Thero!" cried Jorlan, couching his lanco, "thero by tho cannon Is whero wo will get our bellyful of fighting." Ho pointed whero, amid a confusion of fighting men, wounded and struggling strug-gling horses, and tho great black tubes of the Margrnf's cannon, they saw tho sturdy form of Worner von Orseln, growu larger through tho smoko nnd dusty smother, bestriding tho body of a fallen knight. Ho fought as one fights n swarm of angry bees, striking every way with a desperate courage Tho charging squadrons of Plassenburg Plassen-burg divided to pass right and left of tho cannon. Joan first of all, with her sword lifted and crying not Kerns-berg Kerns-berg now, but "Conrad! Conrad!" drovo straight Into tho heart of the Cossack swarm. At tho trampling of tho horses' feet tho Muscovites' lifted their eyes. Thoy had been too Intent to kill to waste a thought on any possible pos-sible succor. Joan felt herself strike right and left. Her heart was crazed within hor bo that sho set spurs in her steed and rodo him forward, plunging and furious. furi-ous. Then n blowing wisp of white plumo wns swept aside, and through a hclraot (broken as n nut Is cracked and falls apart) Joan saw tho fair head of her Prlnco. A tricklo of blood wotted a clinging curl on hla forehead and stole down his palo cheek. Werner von Orseln, begrimed and drunken with battlo, bestrodo tho body of Prlnco Conrad. Foaming in his battlo anger, tho ancient war-captain war-captain would have struck down his mistress. For ho saw all things red, and his heart was bitter within him. With all tho power that was in her, right and left Joan smote to clear hor way to him, praying that If she could not save him sho might at least dio with him. Dut by this tlmo Captains Doris and Jorlan, leaving thejr horsemen to ride at tho second lino, had wheeled and now camo thrusting their lanccu freo-ly freo-ly Into. Cossack backs. Theso last, thim taken In tho rear, turned and fled. "Hey, Werner, good lad, do not slay your comrades! Down blade, old Thirsty. Hnst thou not drunken enough blood this morning?" So cried tho war-captains as Werner dashed the blood and tenrs out of his oyes. "Dack! back!" ho cried, aB soon as ho know with whom ho had to do. "Go back! Conrad Is slain or hath a broken brok-en head. They woro thrusting nt him as ho lny to kill him outright. Tho beaton curs of Courtland broke at tho first attack. Get him to horse! Quick, I Bay. My 1-ody JoanI what do you In this place?" For even while he spoke Joan had dismounted and was holding Conrad's head on her lap. With tho soft whllo kerchief which sho woro on her holm' ns a favor she wiped the wound on his head. It was long, but did not appear to bo very deep. Werner stood astonished, gazing nt his mistress. "Ho is not dend! Lift him up, you two!" Joan cried suddenly. "No, I will take him on my steed. It Is tho strongest, nnd I tho lightest. I alono will bear him In." And beforo any could speak sho sprang Into the saddlo without assistance assist-ance with all her old lightness of ac- -Back! Dack! Go back!" tlon, most llko that of a lithe lad who chases tho colts In his father's croft that ho may rldo them bareback. So Werner von Orseln lifted tho head and Doris tho feet, bearing him tenderly that they might set him upon Joan's horse. On cither sldo walked tall Doris and sturdy Werner, who steadied tho unconscious Prlnco with the palms of their hands. Mcanwhllo tho Palaco Guard, with Jorlan at Its head, defended the slow letreat. whllo on tho flanks Maurice nnd his staunch Kcrnsborgors checked tho victorious advance of tho Muscovites. Musco-vites. Yet tho disaster was complete They left the dead, they left tbo camp, they left tho munitions of war. Thoy abandoned tho Margrnf's ennnon and nil his grcnt storo of powder. Only tho Kernbergcrs bit their lips nnd wntched tho oyo of Mnurice, by whoso Bldo n slim pngo in chain-mall had ridden nil dny with visor down. And tho men of tho Pnlnco Guard prayed pray-ed for Prlnco Hugo to come. As for Joan, sho cared nothing for victory or defeat, loss or gain, becausa the man she loved lay on her breast, bleeding and very still. Yet with great gentleness she gava him down into loving hands and afterward after-ward stood marblc-palo bcsldo tho couch whllo Theresa von Lynar unlaced his armor and washed wash-ed his wounds. Then, ncrv Ing herself to see him Buffer, sho murmured over to herself, once, twice, and a hundred times, "God help mo to do so and moro also to thoso who havo wrought this specially to Louis of Courtland nnd Ivan of Muscovy." "Abldo yo, little ono bo patient. Vengeance will como to both!" said Theresa. "I, who do not promise lightly, light-ly, promlso it you!" (To bo continued.) |