Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-02-02


great oval space OF the lists in clus'
tered myriahs, and their eyes were
bent inwaTis. II was the crisis OF the
grca; melee. Scarcely an eye In all
that assembly was turned toward the
HtranserS. who passed quite unob
served Ia their reserved places In tn.
Princes empty box. Only his sister
Margaret. throncd ON high as Queen
oI Beauty. looked down upon them
With interest. seeing that they were
men who came. and that one at least
was young.
Fifty knights With white plumcE on
their helmets had charged nfty wear
ins black. and the combat still ragged.
The Blacks have IL" said D.E-
sancr. after regarding the melee with
interest. We have come In time to
zee the end of the fray. Would that
he had also seen III" shock!"
And indeed the Blacks seemed ,o
have carried NIL before them. They
were mostly bigger and stronger built
men. knights Of the iandwnri prov
iEccs. and their horses. great solid.
honci Saxon chargers. had by sheer
weight born" their way through the
lighter ranks of the Baltic knights on
the white horses.
Not more than half n dozen OF these
were now In the saddle. and nil over
the field were TO be seen black
knights rcccivin. the submission oil
knights whose broken spears and tar.
nish"d plum.S showed that they had
succumbcd In the charge to superior
weight OF metal. For. 80 soon as u
knight yielded. his stccd became the
property OF his VICTORIOUS foe and he
himself was either carried or limpcd
as best he could TO the pavilion OF his
party. there TO remove his armour and
send II also To the ylctor-to whom.
In literal fact. belonged the Spoiis.
or the half.dozcn white knights who
Eiill kept up the struggle. one shonc
prc'cmlnent for daShing vnlor. Set
upon by more than u score of riders.
he Siill managed to cvade them. and
even when nil his side had submitted
and he alone rcmaircd-at the end OF
the lists to which he had been driven.
he made ready for n final charge into
the scarce broken array OF his foes.
Of whom more than twenty remained
still on horseback In the field.
But though his spear struck true In
the middle OF his immediate antng-
onist's shield and this opponent went
down. II avnilod the brave white
knight nothing. For at the same mo.
ment half n score OF lances struck
him on the shield. on the brcastplatc
on the visor bars Of his helmet. and
he fell heavily to the earth Never
.. 4 H.. al.
ground when he was again on his feet.
Sword In hand. he stood for mo.
ment unscathcd and undaunted. while
his foes. momentarily disordered by
the energy of the charge. reined in
their stceis ere they could return to
the attack.
But at this moment the Princess
Margaret. sister OF the rcigninE
Prince. rose in her place and threw
down the trunchcon. which in such
cases stops the combat.
THE black knights have won" so
she gave her verdict. but there is no
need to humiliatc or injurc knight
who has fought so well against so
many. Let the white knight come
hither-thouEh he be of the losing
side His is the reward of highest
honor. Give him steed. that he may
come and receive the need Of bravcst
in the tournay!"
The knights of the black were man.
iiestly little disappointed that after
their victory one of their opponents
should be selected for honor. But
there was no appeal from the decision
of the Queen of Love and Beauty.
For that day she reigned alone, with
out council or diet imperial
The white knight came near and
said something In low voice. un
heard by the general crowd. to the
Princess.
Il insist" she said aloud: you
must unhelm. that all may see the
face of him who has won the prize"
Whercat the knight bowed and un-
did his helmet A closely-cropped
fair.haired head was revealed. the
features clearly chseled and yet of
a massive beauty. the head of mar.
Bile emperor.
My brother-you!" cried Margaret
of Courtland in astonishment.
The Ambassador looked curiously
at his secretary. He was standing
with eyes Drllllant as tnoSe OF man
in fever. His face paled even under |
its dusky tan. His lips quivered. He |
had Strengthened himself up as brave |
and generous men do when they see |
a deed of bravery done by another. or |
like woman who sees the man she |
loves publicly honored.
"The Prince!' said Johann Pyr- |
mont in voice hoarse and broken; |
"it is the Prince himself"