The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-27

scape OF the river and rounded hill
spread below and around him. Suddenly
ne turned, and looked at the countess
meeting her clear, fearless gray eye. no.
uclng Tor the first time the resolute con-
tour OF her finely nodded chin.
Madame" he said, with admiration
in his tone, you are brave woman"
Il am not so brave as you think me.
my lord,' she answered coldly. There
IS one thing l dare not do am not
brave enough to allow your lordship To
go free If you refuse what | ask"
And should | not relent at first there
are dungeons in Starkenburg where this
proud spirit, with which my enemies saw
am cursed, will doubtless be humbled."
Not so, my lord You will be treated
with that consideration which should be
shown to one Of your exalted station"
Indeed And melted thus by kind
ness. How long, think you. will the
process takeY
1T will be of the shortest my lord.
for if, as You surmise, rumor should get
abroad and falsely proclaim that fine
archbishop lodges here against his will.
there's not flying baron or beggared
knight in all the land but would turn
MN IN his tracks and cry to Starken.
burg, In Gods name, hold him, widow.
I'LL we get our own again" Willingly
would they make the sum l beg Of you
an annual tribute, so they might be GER
tain your lordship were well housed in
this castle"
Widow, there is no truth in what you
say, even if woman hath spoken it."
replied the archbishop with a grim
smile on his lips and undisguised ad-
miration cleaning from his dark eyes.
This cOwardly world is given to tax
ing advantage of a man when opportu-
| nifty offers. But there is one point you
have not reckoned en-. What Of my
stout army living at Treves? What of
the arch, when the keystone is with
drawn? What of the sheep, when the
shepherd disappears|
MY lord, you do yourself and your
great military gifts a wrong. Through
| my deep regard for you, l gave strict
| command that not even the meanest Of
your train should be allowed to wander
till all were safe within these gates,
for | well knew that did a whisper
of my humble invitation and your gra-
cious acceptance of the same reach
Treves. it might be miScOnstrued. and
although some sturdy fellows would be
true and beat their stupid heads against
| these walls, the rest would scatter like
a sheaf of arrows suddenly Embossed
and seek the strongest arm appraised
in the melee sure to follow. Against
your army, leaderless, / would myself
march out at the head of my two score
men without a tremOr at my heart; be-
fore that leader, alone and armyless, l
bow my head with something more akin
to fear than l have ever known before,
and crave his generous pardon for my
bold request"
The archbishop took her unresisting
hand, and bending, raised it to his lips
with that dignified courtesy, which, de-
spite his disclaimer. he knew how well,
upon occasion, to display.
Madame" he said, Il ask you to be-
lieve that your request was granted
even before you marshaled such unan-
swerable arguments to stand, like ar
mored men, around it. There is a stern
and stringent law of our church which
fOrbids its servants suing for lady's
hand. Countess, 1 never felt. the grasp
of that iron fetter until now"
Thus came the strong castle above
Trarbach to be builded, and that not at
the expense of its owners.