Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-04-06

and their faces looked strangely white
| In that Illuminated circle, surrounded
as IL was by pcnt house OF tense
blackness. black pines. black water.
black sky.
Follow me-" said the woman, In n
deep. rich volce-a voice whose tones
thrilled those who heard them TO
their hearts. so rich and low were
some OF the notes.
Joan OF the Sword Hand rose to hcr
feet.
Il am the Duchess OF HohcnstcIn.
and ! do mot leave this boat I'LL |
know In what place am, and who
this may be that cries Follow to the
daughter OF Henry the Lion."
The tall woman turned without bow
Ing and looked ut the girl.
Il am the mother Of Maurice Won
Lyrar. and this Is the Isle Rugen'"
she said simply. as II the an-wcr were
| all.suiiicIcnt.
The woman In the crimson cloak
| waited for Joan to he assisted from
| the boat, and then. without n word OF
greeting. led the way up n little sand.
| cd path To gate which opened In n
high stone wall. Through this she
| admitted her guests. whcrcupon they
found themselves In an enclosure
with towers and bat.lcmcn,s rising
diniy nil round.
Then came a long. grey building.
another door. low and crcaking hcav.
| lily on unRccustomcd hinges. n sudden
burst OF light. and 10. tho wanderers
found themselves within lighted
hall. wherein were many stands OF
arms and armor. mingled with skins
| OF wild animals. w!dC.sprcading. many.
tined anticrs. and other records OF
| tho chase.
Tho woman who had been their
guide now set down her lantern and
allowed the hood of her cloak to slide
from her head. Werner and his two
male companions. the captains OF PlaS.
| scnburg. fell back little at tho appa.
rit!on. They had expected to sec
some hag or cronc. iit companion Of
their wordlcss guide.
Instead. n woman stood before them.
not girlish ccrta My. nor yet In the
first bloom of her youth. but glorious
even among fair women by reason of
inc rlUfUtHN gl nsf bt1uty.
The mother of that young palndin.
their Sparhawk? 1t seemed impossi.
BILE. This woman was too youthful.
too fair. too bountiful In her gracious
beauty TO he the mother OF such "A
tense young ycw.bow as Maurice Won
L,nar.
MY lidy JOAN she said. In tho
same thrilling voice. my son has sent
me wUTd that till n certain great dan.
ger Is overpast you are to abide with
me here on the Isle Rugen. live
alone. save for this one man. dumb
Max ulrich. long since cruelty maimcd
at the hands OF his enemies. can
offer you no suite OF attendants be
yond those you bring with you. Our
safety depends on the secrecy OF our
abode. as for many years my own life
has done. ask you. therefore. to re.
spect our privacy. as also to impose
the same upon your soldiers"
The Duchess Joan bowed slightly.
AS you doubtless know, have not
come hither of my own free will.
she answered haughtily: but | thank
you. madam. for your hospitality.
Rest assured that the secrecy OF your
dwelling shall not be endangered by
me-"
Then with large gesture the elder
indicated the way up the broad stair.
case, and throwing her own cloak
completely on she caught It across
her arm as II dropped and so fol.
lowed Joan out of sight.
Instinct was so strong that. as soon
as the women hat withdrawn them
selves upstairs, the three captains
started towards the door to make the
round of the defences. The Wordless
Man accompanied them unasked. The
square enclosure in which they found
themselves seemed liker an old fortified
farmhouse OF grange than a regular
castle, though the walls were thick
as those of any fortress. icing loop
holed for musketry, and lin those
days OF bombards few and heavy cap.
able Of standing a siege in good ear
nest against small army.
The three captains returned through
the hall into long dining room vault.
ed above with beams of solid oak
Curtains were drawn close all about
the walls. In the recesses were many
stands of arms of good and recent
construction, and opening n cupboard
with the freedom of man at arms,
Boris saw ramrods, powder, and shot
arranged in order, as neatly as though
he had done 1t hims-n than which
no better could be .-sA
In little while the sound of foot
steps descending the nearer staircase
was heard Tn, ~.:"6lc~ ian moved
to the door ana Asin = ,y-r. as Joan
came in with "a proud. .jgb look on
her face. VuI t.ya-~'. mother en-