The Elbert County tribune., 1906-08-02

That sounds well enough" answer
ed Boris doubtfully. but will 1t stand
probation. think you. when Hugo
scowls at us from under his brows?"
Well" said Jorian, at all events,
there is always our Helene. / think
we may risk it."
True" meditated Boris, you say
well. There is always Helene. The
Little Playmate will not let our necks
be stretched, Not at least for sue
couring a Princess in distress"
In a short quarter OF an hour the
drums of the Plassenburg Palace
Guard mad beaten to arms. From gate
to gate the light sea-wind had borne
the cheerful trumpet call. and when
Joan returned. heartless and downcast,
with half dozen more mouldy rascals.
smelling of muck-rakes and damp
stable straw, she found before her
more than half the horsemen of Pias-
senburg armed cap-a-pie in FURNISHED
steel. Whereat she could only look
at Boris in astcnishment.
"YoUr Highness." said that captain.
saluting gravely, I'VE are only able to
accompany you as ENJOYS Extraordin-
ary of the Prince and Princess of Plas-
senburg. But as such we feel it our
duty in order properly to support our
State to take with us suitable attend
ancei"
Before Joan could reply a messenger
came squirting up the long. narrow
streets. Joan took the letter and
opened 1t with a jerk.
From High Captain Won Orseln to
the Princess Joan.
Come with all speed. IL you would
be in time. We are hard beset. The
enemy are all about us. Prince Con.
rad has ordered a charge,"
The face of the woman whitened
the fingers of Joan of the Sword Hand
frightened upon the hilt. She read the
letter aloud. There was no comment.
Boris cried an order, Jorian dropped
to the rear. and the retinue of the En-
voys Extraordinary swung out on the
road towards the great battle.
AS Joan and the war-captains of
Plassenburg came nearer they heard
low growing roar like the distant
sound of the breakers on the outer
shore at Isle Rugen. 1t rose and fell
as the fitful wind bore it towards
them, but 1t never entirely ceased
They dashed through the fords of
the ALA, the three hundred lances of
the Plassenburg Guard Gathering
eagerly behind them. Joan led, on a
black horse which Conrad had given
her The two war-captains with one
on their heads.
They came nearer. A few wreaths
of smoke. hanging over the yet distant
field, told where Russ and Teuton met
in battle array. A solemn, slumberous
reverberation heard at intervals split
the dull general roar apart. 1t was
the new cannon which had come from
the Margraf George to help beat back
the common foe Then they began to
pass limping men hasting cityward,
with fleeing and panic-stricken wretch
es who looked over their shoulders as
If they saw steel flashing at their
backs.
"Kernsbergi" cried Joan, her sword
high in the air, as she set spurs in her
black stallion and swept onward a
good twenty yards before the rush of
the horsemen of Plassenburg.
Joan's quick glance about her for
Conrad told her nothing of his where
abouts. But the two war-captains,
more experienced. perceived that the
MuscCvites were already everywhere
victorious. Their wings outfianked
and overlapped the slender array of
Courtland. Only about the cannon and
on the far right did any seem to be
making a stand.
"There!" cried Jorian, COUGHING his
lance, there by the cannon is where
we will get our bellyful of fighting"
He pointed where. amid confusion
of fighting men. wounded and strug-
Cling horses. and the great black tubes
of the Margraf's cannon, they saw the
sturdy form of Werner Won Orseln,
grown larger through the smoke and
dusty smother. bestriding the body of
a fallen knight. He fought as one
fights a swarm of angry bees, striking
every way with a desperate courage.
The charging squadrons of Plassen-
burg divided to pass right and left of
the cannon. Joan first of all, with
her sword lifted and crying not Kerns-
berg now but Conrad, Conrad"
drove straight into the heart of the
Cossack swarm. AT the trampling of
the horses feet the Muscovites lifted
their eyes. They had been too intent
to kill to waste thought on any pos
sible succor.
Joan felt herself strike right and
left. Her heart was crazed within her
SO that she set spurs in her steed and
rode him forward, plunging and furi-
Gus. Then blowing wisp of white
plume was swept aside. and through a
helmet (broken as a nut is cracked
| and falls aparD Joan saw the fair
head of her Prince. A trickle of
blood wetted a clinging curl on his