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Show I S8LVE1R M IF Esstadl B CHAPTER XIII. HUE princess' fnce told mo nothing that night. She received re-ceived wo very graciously, would not lot mo kneel to H her. But there wan something In her H manner which made me feel that tlio H hopes which had grown up In my B heart so quickly that day were luxu-H luxu-H riant weeds, lit only to lie cut down. jH She would not let mo talk much about U what had happened In the city. M "We arc In perilous times," she said, fl "Hut you must ho my prisoner still. Von arc not yet nblo to bravo dnn-H dnn-H pern. Hero you arc Bafo. Get strong H ngaln quickly. Sir Verrnll, for I have M need of you," H And so she dismissed me. jH I'rlnccHS Darin had n garden. The m only entrance to it was from her suit H of npartments. High walls .surround-H .surround-H rd It, and there was no fenr of pry- H ing eyes, licit: i wiin riYiii'Kt--ii w M walk or lie at full length In the shade H of some tree, tilling my lungs with B new health at every breath, nere B Jasar uud I talked, and the prince' H Joined us, staying only u little while m t first, hut afterward longer. Sh'i H talked of plans for the future. My m friends were so few that it was im- IH possible for me to stand uuless sotue- IH thing could be devised ugulust my Vm enemies. Truth to tell, my friends IH and enemies troubled me little Just IH then. 1 wus too huppy to fear the IH future, for the princess became each M Say less a princess and more a worn- IH bu. I lived In the present. I told IH them something of my country, of jH London, of railroads and telegraphs jH itid or ninny things which In Drus- H senland bad never been heard of. H "You tell of strange tilings. Sir Vcr- jH rail," Jnsar said, "lint becuuse the IH people In Drussenlond are superstl- iH tlous and legend loving you must not jH think that we are all ready to believe H tales so far beyond all possibility." H "I speak the truth. There are even 9H more marvelous things that 1 have not , told you of." (ift "Her highness loves not superstl- 1P tlon and bus no fear of disasters -which. I the priests prophesy. We know that no miracle brought you Into our land and that to account for your coming you used a legend to save yourself. Why seek to deceive us who are your friends?" "Yes. friends." said the princess I was Inclined to be augry, but a moment's reflection told mo how Impossible Im-possible my talcs must seem to them. "Indeed, there Is no deceit," 1 answered. an-swered. "Things are as I have told you in my country. Besides, my coming com-ing was somewhat of n miracle, and It was tint I who claimed to be the expected knight, remember. It was O'ltynu who suggested It. and the priests believed It." Then I told them how 1 came Into Drusscnland. beginning with the tale that poor Mustuplia told that night "Tell me the history of Drussenhind." Jasar told It to me. hurrying through the legcudury part, dilating fully on that which was known to be true. The Drusscnhinders were the descendants of a great army gathered from all the nations of the world-so Jasar snld-whlch snld-whlch was led Into a country beyond the hills to light for the true religion. Year after year this army, constantly recruited, fought with varying success, and at lust camo pence. Some returned return-ed homo again; some remained In the land of their warfare, took wives of the daughters of the hind, and vuiu dercd forth to tlnd n city to dwell I" So thov bud romp to Drussenlnuil, and. as the years passed, became " t-Teut people. This was the legendary pun which Jnsnr said might have some truth In It To me It seemed clear. These people peo-ple weif descended from the survlw.rs of the Inst crusade. Ever and again the princess would lead mo to consider my present post tlon. No ancient history could help me In that. "The .lavs pass swiftly," she said "You are nM't s'rong now. The priests clniun.- for nciLm. and the peo pie cry with t.i-m hit are we to L "Jasar suggested a i oMt of tin dlffleulty," I answered "My death would relieve your highness f much trouble." 'T "It Is no tlmo to talk foil' It ' time to act," was all sho said to .no. Tho princess told mo that she needed knights with strong arms and strong courage. She said the prles'3 were loyal to her apart from my cause Aft-cr Aft-cr n long conversation 1 suggested to her that 1 would attend tho next coun- A Legend of Lace. According to Melchlor do Vogue, tho I legend of lace Is ns follows: . Vcnc- 1 tlon sailor guve his ladylove a frond of I spreadlug seaweed to keep him In I memory while nt sea. Hut tho girl 1 found that the seaweed wag rapidly 1 drying up and dlsarr earing- F.o siio I caught the lino brnivlies nnd leaves of the plant with thread ngnlnst n piece 1 of linen nnd. working on, with her 1 thoughts following her lover, inventrd J. !ncc. MOOT 5F THE I f ! STAR jKC 127' i( Copyright. 1907. by R. F. Fenno & Co. c -it is tut i i.i u i -i mo man wno wur ships you." I whispered, and 1 took her hand and. bending low, kissed It pas slonntely. I dared not touch her lips. Just then .In-nr came In and toll' tho princess that the count was nskin for her. She gave me her hand an ' I said: "He brave for my sake tmuo' ' row. For my sake return fimn YhiIi1 ' stra." Then she left me. j The council was Hsed foi the nftT noon It was an unu-iml tlnie. lull Hie princess had so oidered It The inoiin-in , 1 eutered the liall I fill equal l" nn ' emergeney. Danger hung In the air. , and my courage rose to nieut It. i 1 mounted the steps and took my plaie as near to the princess' chair us possible 1 endeavored to hold my own tlrmly hut. courteously, neither making mak-ing ill) self tuo prominent nor seeking to escape observation. 1 was not a prisoner about to plead for mercy, but a man prepared to hurl deflance.In tho teeth of n crowd Incensed against me, Ynscu stood beside the chair and to him 1 bowed. Then 1 turned to the chief of the priests nnd bowed to him lower still. Purposely. 1 think, the princess did not keep tho council waiting. 1 had ' "nn iion tar ikn, not roor.s or i-amhon." taken my place only a few moments when the curtains were diawn. and she stepped to her seat. She shot one swift glance ut inc so swift that I doubt If any other noticed It. She bowed proudly ns a rour of voices wel coined her, but she looked pale and anxious. "It has ever been our custom In Drussenlaud to let evcu n prisoner speak mi answer to his licensers." It was a relief to hear her voice break tlie silence. She spoko softly, yet o elenrl) i nut she must have been heard even in the rnrihest ror ' "In those ilavb, li.-wi-.er. It Im pleased certain of our hiil.le- ts to speak bitterly of ouo who Is nut n prisoner one who came to us uud was welcomed by us ns a inii-iu iimt? oxnected In our land. Tho Judgment llmt he was what he has claimed to be rested not with us. Wis dom greater than ours declared his coming to bo propitious to our state, and In arms he has borne himself gallantly, gal-lantly, as many u vnllant warrior can hero attest. Yet somo nmoug us have spoken bitterly of him. nnd moie-hnvc, moie-hnvc, In their hearts, condemned him without a hearing. That Is Indeed Injustice. In-justice. "Hut worse offense has been committed. com-mitted. In our uwn pnlnce, nt our very door, was this knight attacked while he guarded our person If the 118303-sin's 118303-sin's knife were raised against us, then truly wo and all our loyal Bub Jects owe this knight thnnks for his protection of us. If, ns somo affirm, the attack was made upou the knight, I then tire there some among us whom ' It would be well to stamp out. since for hick of courage they seek to murder mur-der mid are no true Drussenlnnders We know that the hand which held i the knife was not the hand of him who devised the crime. The tool paid ' dearly for his part, and so In good time 'shall they who planned and who, to screen themselves from our anger, I silenced forever the guards who could ! hao betrayed them. Now wo nre here not to Judge, nor of our wish Is , this council called together. It Is by the wish of the knight you have accused; ac-cused; not nil of you, but some. Only 1 vaguely has he heard the charges brought against hlin. and. since there can be no steady answer to vague ru-1 ru-1 mor, it is our will that you who have 1 aught to say speak and that the knight , shall answer )oii. You who listen," ' nnd she swept her arm round to In-I In-I elude every upturned face in the hall ' "you who listen glo a patient hear Ing. We seek not to guide you, but bo honest men. not fools of passion to bo led by every one who tries to move you. He Drussenlnnders, not wretches making our street corners dangerous, men ready to creep In the dark nnd stab from behind. 1 have gloried In thnt 1 nm your princess, gloried In tho brave hearts I rule, gloried In your deeds, have been proud to cry to tho whole world that I am a princess In Drussenlanil. but show me thnt you are cravens, men afraid to meet their enemy face to face, and 1 will fling this golden circle of my sovereignty among you Make whom you will your ruler. I should think It shame to coll such jnen my subjects." ' For a moment there was sllenco: then a murmur ran through the hnll and then a great roar. She had touch-cd touch-cd them. Dexterously she had paved j the way for me. ' "You. our priests, have somewhat against tho knight." she said when tho shouting had ceased, "and you. ov-loval ov-loval knights. Speak honestly, nnd you. Sir Verrnll. answer honestly, so Justice shall be done." j She looked tirst nt the chief of tho priests, then nt Count Vascn and then , nt me. i The priest began to speak In a rather i singsong tone, us thugh he wcro re- ' citing a lesson he hud committed to memory. i "The expected knight was to do ( many things In Drusseuland." he snld. i "Ho was to bring peace and plenty Into It. That he should be mighty In , achievement I believed, but with thnt I have nothing to do. My otllce bin- I ders me from wielding u sword, uud. . though my heart may leap nt the sight of bravo deeds, I con have no part In . them. My otllce Is to watch over the j sacred things of this hind, to punish those who bring our great religion into ' disrepute, giving occasion to those of ' lesser intellect to revile nnd turn the ' God we worship Into u Jest. 1 "Your highness hns broken a law, and thcrefote your people have broken bro-ken a law. Think you peace ond plenty shall be poured Into tho laps of those who sin? I rejoiced ut the i knight's coming, so Is my sorrow keener keen-er that he has made his mission of ! none fffecU For him punishment nwults ut the hand of him who sent ! him. Our duty Is not to delay his go-j go-j Ing. If It be to willed that as ho I came miraculously so miraculously I cnu he be taken from us, then It shall be. But death Is the only means wo mortals know of by which he can return. re-turn. Thciofore b il should we seek pardon for uur-',ii, I would my words could tnk u li.ippler tone. , If my eyes nre blinded. H I have not rend our laws aright, then power will be granted to the knight to Increase my wisdom. 1 wish not to condemn him unheal d. It Is not 1 that condemn him It Is our religion which does so" I "For my own part. 1 had rather re- ' main silent." said Count Vnsca. "It ( limy seem envious, lu me to seek to condemn n knight who In tournament . has mot me honestly nnd In the Held hns fought valiantly. Indeed, I speak only for the mnny ns chief of the knights who attend your highness." ' "That we know. Sir Vuscn." said the princess, looking fixedly at him. She did not take her eyes from him whllo ho Bpoke Perhupi he sac in trust In them for. after beginning so humbly, he went on bitterly enough: i "The priest has spoken of the laws With them 1 have nothing to do. but, slnco the priests and I have been of- ten nt variance, in thnt we are agreed , I In this mnttcr proves the Justice of ' I our complaint The knight was to ac- I compllsh two things with which 1 nm concerncd-to placo your highness on , ! tho throne In Yndnsum and to nnd n j treasure that should bring plenty to j I our land. I blamo not that theso , , things are not yet accomplished, but J i that nothing has been done. We aro , i nt pro-ent n divided country, nnd whlchcer side finds tho trensure wins ' also the throne lu Yadusarn. These ' foreign dog the king has brought Into this land would leave him tomorrow were they paid for doing bo. and there ' are hundreds of men In this city who would march to Yndnsnrn tomorrow were tho treasure In the king's hands. The time Is ripo to win or to lobe, for isUCCl'c l" i I'DVIIIOIl. iut' rp.iu much of Sir VerraU's coming. They believe they are doomed to disappoint- I nieut. therefore they cry out Though. ns a true Drussenlnndcr, 1 have no I pity for those who attacked the knight when he tood jour highness' sentl- I nel. still I ntllrin Hint he has only blm- I Plf to blame If he Is tho expected I knight let him fiilllll his mission; If I not Jet htm answer for the lie which innde us vlw hlin welcome" A murmur of approbation sounded . tliioiii.li the hnll Then all eyes turned turn-ed toward me I found courage In the look that was In the princess' eyes us she turned to me , "1 nm accused of breaking a law or of causing your highness to break It." 1 said. "It Is true. That I succeeded, though with dllllctilty. ns yon. who heard me make my petition, know j well. Is the greatest good I une accomplished ac-complished since I hue been In Drus- senland, 1 will tell )u why. Your priest said If he hud Judged amiss I should have power to Increase his wisdom. That power 1 have. I wisn htm power to understnnd. nnd not only the priest, hut nil )ou who heiir , me. From whence I enme you do not j know, You hn-io a legend which you look to be fulfilled, and lit my coming vim welcomed me. Think you fiilllll- meiit comes exactly as men expect? The priests liaxe wisdom, olid they i prophesy, but 1 came Into Drusscii m hind from n more enlightened country, n where the wisdom of your priests P would be but ns the Idle prattling of ,! n child 'This law of yours that prls- i oners of wur shull be sloln xvns I framed, when men knew little of him they worshiped This lp bids mo tell you-thnt to kill men us you would kill your prisoners Is murder, lu that the priests prophesy disaster to this land because Hint law Is broken they err most grievously. I prophesy peace for this land If you let mercy rule you rather than vengeance. 1 fenr nothing noth-ing of what you can do to me. Death! What Is It? A moment In tlmo thnt sends me to n life of rest. Hut I have n mission, ns every trno man has. and If In living I cannot fulfill It It shall lie fulfilled in dying, That Is my nn-swer nn-swer to your priests. They err from Ignorance. I have been given power to speak wisdom to them. Let them beware how they shut their cars to the voice that speaks tho truth. "Count Vasca's accusation Is of n -! different kind. 1 have not yet placed , your princess on the throne In Yada- J sum. I have not yet found the trens- I lire hidden In this hind. Hut he has , J made n graver accusation, not ngnlnst J I me. but against you. What men nre I ! they who hold loyalty so lightly, who cure so little who reigns over them, j j who grumble so loudly and who would so icadlly march to Yndnsnrn to tight against her highness? Who ' nre they? Speak! In her highness' name. I promise pardon to any man xvho confesses to disloyalty. No an- 1 Uwer? What! Are wo so strangely divided that In this hall only loyal subjects Und a place? Are nil the I murtnurcrs without? Hcmeraber, the couut accused you. not 1. 1 havo fought beside some of you. I huvo witnessed many of you do gallantly. ' I have more faith In you than the ' count has." I And then, turning quickly to the , I princess, I ndded: ' "These nre honest men, your high- ' ncss. but they reared to contradict your kinsman." ' I The raflero rang ngaln. I had be-' be-' come on orator to some purpose. ! j "You see. Count Vnsca, yon were mis- , taken. Why, when the enemy tied across tho river the other day were wo t not led to follow them? You are n sol- I j dlcr. You know why. The time wns not ripe. It would lmve been to court defeat. We knew not at what point , I the city was least defended. Neither j Is the time ripe for tho finding of the treasure, but It ripens." "Any knight could speak bo. Wo expect ex-pect deeds, not words, from Sir Verrnll," Ver-rnll," he answered. "You have forced mo to xvords. Mark you not" and I spoke to those In the hnll "mark you not how the two things go together? To set tho princess prin-cess on tho throne In Yndasora nnd to find n treasure. At the sword'B point must one be accomplished. Is It not the sword'H point which shall unlock the hiding place of the other? Your treasure lies hidden where only knight- U- .li.mla rfln ti-ln If Vnlll trOflhltn lH J " - - - i valueless until the foreigner Is driven ' j from the land. Whore1 think you a treasure would most likely lie In Drus- senland? Where but In tho greatest , stronghold the land contains lu the fortress of Yndasara?" ' Again the rafters rang. The knights ' shouted ns good knights will shout at 3 the promise of conflict. Even the 5 priests forgot to scowl and listened. i j "Hero nre swords In plenty Lead ns to victory!" So the knights shouted, lj and I knew that the greatest danger ' w is over I will do more." I said. "Three days hence I will go to Yiidasnra. I will en- j tor the city and spy out Its weakness ! that Is. If her highness gives me leave." The count's Up curled. t "You will nut return," he fcnld. ! M Rlinll ('mint Xiisen I clmll return to lend loyal men to victory" I turned to fnce tho now excited crowd. I bpread out my arms, nnd I cried to them: "Sir knights, loyal men of Drussen-land, Drussen-land, have I answered my accusers? j Ohout )our trust lu me. or, If there Is no trust, see here I stand unnrav.M, draw jour weapons nnd slny me." I had played it bold gnme. It bud Bcrved me well. 1 had won. j To Bo Continued. |
