The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-25
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NTHE ROSE y s..
b. BIZ FREDERIC S. ISTiAM. W
" [CoPYxoH1 1865 BovEN-MRRnL CoMPANYl
TcopYsroH1, 1903: The BowEN-MERRlLL COMPANY ]
81 FREDERIC S. ISHAM.
CHAPTER ".


CESS FAN.
Through the fiowery path. so narrow her
gown brushed the leaves on either side, the
Princess Louise appeared, walking slowly
A head-dress heart-shaped, held her hair
In its. close confines; the gown of cloth-of-
silver damask fitted closely to her figure,
and from the girdle hung long pendant
end, deliberately enriched. With short, sharp
banks the dog bounded for her. but the hand
usually extended to caress the animal re-
manned at her side.
Intently the jester watched her draw near
and ever nearer their common trysting spot,
her favorite garden nook. handsome
bride, forsooth, as Jacqueline had sug-
gested. All in white was she now; gilt
tering white, with silver adornment; raw
ishingly hymeneal. A bride for duke
or a king-more stately than the Queen;
handsomer than the favorite Of favorites
who ruled the King of France.
"Jacqueline," she said, evincing neither
surprise nor any other emotion. as she APP
preached, .go and fetch my fan. 1 be-
lieve tbs in the Kings ante-chamber."
Madam carried no fan when" began the
girl.
Then it's somewhere else. Do not handy
words, but find it,"
Sinking on the bench as the maid walked
quickly away, she remained for some mo-
ments in silent thought-a reverie the jester
forbore to disturb. Her head rested on her
arm, from which fell the flowing sleeve al
most to the ground: her wrist was lightly
inclasped by slender golden band of deli
cate Byzantine enamel work; over the
hat
constituted one of the supports of the an
cient Norman bench flowed the voluminous
folds of her dress, partly concealing the
monster from view. Against the Chamber
ing ivy which for centuries had reveled in
this chosen spot, and which the landscape
gardeners of Francis had wisely spared.
lay her hand, small ring Of curious work.
manship cleaning from her finger. The
ring caused the jester to start. remember
ing he had last seen it worn by the King.
Truly, the capricious, but august. mon
arch must have been we'll pleased with the
complaisance of his fair ward, and the face
of the fool, glowing and eager, became on
the instant hard and cold. Did he ex-
perience now the first pangs of that sorrow
Jacqueline had vividly portrayed as the
love portion of Marot and Caillette? Faint
ly the ivy whispered above the princess,
telling perhaps of other days when. GEN.
turtles gone by, some Norman lady had been
wooed and won. or wooed and lost, In the
shadow Of the griffin. which. silent, sphinx
like, yet endured through the ages.
Idly the Princess Louise plucked a leaf
from the old. old vine, picked it apart and
let the pieces float away. AS they fut-
tered and fell at the TESTERS feet she re-
garded him with thoughtful blue eyes.
How far is it." she asked. ito the dukes
principality?"
If he had doubted the maids story, he
was now convinced. The ring and her
question confirmed Jacquelines narrative
Modify he surveyed the great claws of the
griffin. firmly planted on the earth, ard
then looked from the feet to the laughing
mouth of the stone figure, or so much of it
as the shining dress left uncovered.
About fifteen days journey. princess
he replied.
"No farther?'
Barring accidents, it may be made in
that time
She did not notice how dull was his tone;
how he avoided her gaze Blind to him,
she turned the ring around and around on
her finger, as though her thoughts were
concentrated on it.
Accidents" she repeated, her hand now
motioniess. is the way perilous?''
THE country is most unsettled.
What do you mean by unsettled?' she
continued. bending forward with fingers
clasped over her knees. Supinely she waved
a foot back and forth, showing and then
Withdrawing the point of jeweled slipper,
and q suggestion of lavender in silk net
work above. What do you call unsettled?'
THE country is infested with many row.
ing bands commanded by the so-called in
dependent barons who owe allegiance to
neither king nor emperor" he answered
Their homes are perched. like eagles nests,
upon some mountain peak that commands
the valleys travellers must proceed through
A fierce untamed crew, bent on rapine and
MURDER
Ibid you encounter any such?' gently.
Outlines
"And left unscathed?"
Because l was a jester. madam; some
thing less than a man; a lordling's slave, a
woman's plaything! Their sentinels shared
with me their TASKS; / slept before their
signal fires. and even supped in the heart
of their stone Businesses. Fools and monks
are safe among them, for the one amuses
and the other absolves their sins. Yet is
there one free baron" he added reflective
", whom even I should have done well to
avoid; he, the most feared. the most savage.
Louis. the bastard of Pfalz- Urfeld,
Have you ever met him?" asked the
princess in mechanical tone.
NO" with short laugh "A few Of
his knaves. encountered, however. whose
conduct shamed the courtesy Of the other
mountain rogues. / all but Jared Ill, indeed,
from them. To the pleasantly Of my greet
humor; the free baron had ordered every
one searched They would have robbed and
stripped me. despite the color of my coat
only fortunately. instead of a fools STAFF.
l had a good blade of the dukes For a mo-
ment it cut and thrust-not jest and
gibe; the suddenness of the attack sur
prised them, and before they could digest
the humor of it the fool had slipped away
She leaned inertly back against the soft
cushion of ivy. In the shadow the tint on
light played about her shoulders through
leafy interspace. or crept in dancing spots
down over her gown and arms.
1.-The duke would not be molested by these
outlaws?" she continued, pursuing her line
of questioning;
swered cautiously. They may be we'll con-
tent to permit him TO come and go as he
sees fit.''
"Well. WELL" she said. perversely, 1T was
country
FOR leagues the land is wild, bleak. in
hospita BILE. and then tbs level, monotonous
deserted so lonely the song dies on the
wandering minstrel's lips. But the duke
rides fast with his troop and soon would
cover the mountain paths and dreary
wastes.