The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-25

dignity, her honor, or her life; and now
That she was no longer wholly at his mer-
cy, but there was new chance that she
might escape. his rage aud the fear OF ex"
posure lashed bim to fury; and, without
more talking Ne made at the bishop, cry.
ing, You frst and then herl I'll be rio
81 the pair Of you'll
The bishop faced him, standing between
Princess Osra and his assault; while she
shrank back little, sheltsring herself be-
Mind the heavy door. For, although she
had bean ready to die without fear, yet
the sight of men fighting. frightened her,
and she veiled her face with her hands,
and waited in dread to hear the sound OF
their swords clashing. But the bishop
looked very happy, and setting his cap
On his head with jaunty air, he stood
on guard. For ten years or more he had
not used his sword, but the secret OF its
mastery seemed to revive, fresh and clear
Ia his mind, and let his soul say what IT
would, his body rejoiced to be at the ex-
ercise again; so that his blood kindled
and his eyes cleaned In the glee OF strife.
Thus hs stepped forward, guarding him
Oelf, and thus he met the counts iinpetu-
Gus onset; and he neither fiinched nor
gave back, bat finding himself holding
HE own he pressed on and on, not vio-
Jontly attacking and yet never resting,
and turning every thrust with wrist OF
iron. And while Osra gazed with wide
6yes and close-held breath, and Count
Nikolas muttered oaths and grew more
furious. the bishop seemed as gay as
when he talked to the king, more gaily,
maybe, than bishops should. Again his
eve danced as in the days when he had
been called the "wildest OF the Hent-
Eaus.n And still he drove Count Niko-
las back and back.
Now behind the count was a window
which he had himself caused to be en-
larged and made low and wide, in order
that he might look from il over the sur
rounding country, but in time OF war IL
was covered with a close and strong iron
grating But now the grating was off
and the.wipdow open; and beneath this
window was q fall OF seventy feet or hard
upon II into the moat below. The count
looked into the bishops face and saw
him smile and suddenly he recollected
the window, and fancied that II was the
bishops design TO drive him on TO IL so
that he could give back no more; and,
since he knew by now that the bishop
was HE master with the sword, a despair
ing rage settled upon him, and, deter
mining TO die swiftly since die he must,
he rushed forward making desperate
lunge at his enemy. But the bishop par
Ylcd the lunge, and, always seeming to be
about to run the count through the body
again forced him TO retreat, till his back
was close to the opening OF the windc w.
Here Nikolas stood, his eyes glaring
like . madman's; then sudden deyilish
smile spread over his face.
cried the bishop, putting a restraint on
the wicked impulse TO kill the man, and
lowering his point for an instant
In that short moment the count made
his last throw; for all at once, as IL
seemed, and almost in one motion
the left side of his body, high IN tho
chest near the shoulder, and, though
the wound was slight, the blood flowed
freely; then, drawing back his sv ord. he
seized II by the blade halfway up and
flung II like javelin at the princess who
stood still by the door, breathlessly watch
- Ing the night. BY an ace II missed her
head, and 1t pinned tress OF her hair
20 the.door and quivered deepset in the
wood OF the door. When the Bishop OF
Modenstein saw this, hesitation and mercy
passed out OF his heart, and though the
man had now no weapon, he thought OF
eparing him no more than he would have
spared any cruel and savage beast; he
drove his sword into his body, and the
count not being able to endure the thrust
without hinching, against his own will
gave way before IL. Then came from his
lips loud cry OF dismsy and despair, for
et the same moment that the sword was
IN him he, staggering back, fell wound.
go TO death through the open window.
The bishop looked out after him, and
Princess Osrs heard the sound OF great
splash In the water OF the moat below.
For very horror she sank against the door
seeming TO be held up more by the
sword that had pinned her hair than by
her own strength. Then came up through
the window, from which the bishop stiI
looked with strange smile, the clatter
OF hundred feet running 10 the gate ol
the castle. The bridge was let down,
the confused sound of many men talking
n nd nf srf. -
horror, mounted up through the air. Foi
the counts men IN the hall also has
heard the splash, aud run out TO se.
what II was; and there they beheld TIM
BODY of tlNir master dead in the moat
snd their eyes were wide open .and the,
could hardly lay their tongues to Tia