The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-24

master had done, and who was the.lady
whom he carried wrapt In the coverlet.
But he ran on till he reached the stairs,
and he climbed ~fhem, and entering
room In the gate-tower, looking over the
moat, he laid the Princess Osra on a
couch and, standing over her, he smote
one hand upon the other, and he swore
loudly:
and her / will have; and 1t shall be her
husband whom she must, II she will, pro-
claim q cheat in Strelsau."
Then he bent down and lifted the COW
erlet from her face. But she did not STIR
nor speak, nor open her eyes. For she
had fallen into q swoon as they rode, and
did not know what had befallen her, nor
where she had been brought, nor that
she Was now in the Castle OF Festen burg
and In the power of a desperate man.
Thus she lay still ana white, while Count
Nikolas stood over her and bit his nails
In rage. And it was then just on mid
night.
the Bishop of Modenstein, whose temper
was hot and cost him continual prayers
and penances from the mastery IL strove to
win over him, was very impatient; and
since he was at once angry and half
asleep, It was long before he would or
could understand the strange and mon
~
host came trembling and quaking to his
bedside In the dead of night. A servant
girl, stammered the frightened fellow,
had run down half-dressed and painting
from the castle of Zends, and declared
that, whether they choose to believe her
or not-snd indeed she could hardly be-
lieve such a thing herself, although she
had seen with her own eyes from her own
window-yet Count Nikolas of Festen burg
had come to the castle that evening, had
spoken with Princess Osra, and now (they
might call her liar IL they chose) had
carried off the Princess with him on his
horse to Festenburg, alive or dead,
none knew; and the men servants were
amazed and terrified, and the soldiers
were at their wits end, talking big and
threatening to bring ten thousand men
from Strelsau and not leave one stone up
on another at Festenburg, and what not.
But all the while and FOR all their big
talk nothing was done; and the Princess
was at Festenburg, alive or dead or in
what strait none knew. And finally
nobody but one poor servant girl had
had the wit to run down and rouse the
town.
The Bishop OF Modenstein sat up in his
bed and he fairly roared at the innkeeper:
care there no men then in the town
who can fight, fool?"
"None none, my lord-not against the
count Count Nikolas is a terrible man.
Please God he has not killed the Princess
by now"
sand be quick about Ii" And he leapt
out of bed with sparkling eyes. For the
bishop was a young man, but little
turned of thirty, and he was noble of
the old house Of Hentzau. Now some OF
the Hentzaus of whom history tells OF
many, have been good and some have been
bad; and the good fear God while the
hoA 40 not h,,tx moi hor ha he
bad fear anything in the world besides.
Hence for good or i'll, they do great deeds
and risk their lives as another man risks
a penny. SO the bishop. leaving his bed.
dressed himself IN breeches an d boots, and
set a black cap with violet her on
his head, and staying 10 put on nothing
else but his shirt and his cloak over it,
in ten minutes was on his horse at the
door OF the inn. For a moment he looked
II the struggling crowd that had gat hered
there, then with toss of his head and a
curl OF his lip he told them what he
thought OF them, saying openly that he
thanked heaven they were not of his d o.
cese; and in an instant he was galloping
through the streets of the town towards
the castle OF Festen nburg, with his sword
by his side and brace OF pistols I'm the
holsters OF the saddle. Thus he left the
gossipers and vaporers behind and rode
alone as he was up the hill, his blood
leaping and his heart beating quick; for
as he went he said TO himself:
IT Is not often churchmsn has q
chance like this"
On the stroke OF half-past twelve he
came TO the bridge Of the castle moat;
and the bridge was up. But the bishop
shouted, ana the wstchman came out
and stood in the gateway across the
moat, and the night being fine and clear.
he presented an excellent aim.
"My pistol - straight at your head. -
cried the bishop "Let down the bridge
am Frederick OF Hentzau- that is' /
am the bishop OF Modenstein -and
charge you, IL you are a dutiful son of the
church, TO obey me. The pistol is full
at your head.
The watchman knew the bishop: but
he also knew the count his master.
~ dare not let down the bridge with
out an order from my lord, he fsltered.