Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-06-08
Joan sH % SWORD HAND
~: S.RcROCkETT.A .Auhor AZ MeRxaE,vGo
Copyright. 1898. 1900. by s. II. croeke,,)

married." cried the seeming Princess.
ITO me. Margaret will siay the
man who lays a hand on you."
| Obedient TO that word. Margaret OF
Courtiand broke from between her
brother and Prince Ivan and ran To
the tall woman. laying her brow on
her breast. The Prince OF Muscovy
| continued calm and immovable.
And Why" he asked In tone full
OF contempt. why cannot the Prin'
cess Margaret be married.
Because" said the woman In tho
long cloak. lingering n string nj her
neck. she Is married already. l am
her husband"
The long blue cloak fell TO the
ground. and the Sparhawk. clad III
closc-iIttIng squirc's dress. stood be-
fore their nStoniShed eyes.
a long. low murmur. gathering and
sinking. surged about the square,
Prince Louis enHp.d. Margaret clnn.
to her lovers arm. and for the space
Of a score OF seconds the whole world
stopped breathing.
Primo" Ivan twisted his musiachc
as II he would pull il on; by the roots.
so" he said. Tho Princess II mar
Fi"d. Is she: And you are her hus'
band. Whom God hath jo!ncd'-and
the Tvst Of it. Well. wo shall see. wo
shall Src:''
Tia spoke gently. moGItaIiVoly. al
most eaT-ssinsiy,
Yea cried the spaThawE. defiant
~. "a" acre married yesterday by
Father Clement. the Princes chaplain.
in the pFcscnc. Of ii" most noble i.ro'
paid Voa DcssaucE. High Councillor Of
PIasscabuTE:"
"And my NIfc-thc Princess Jean.
where Ia shc.- EasPrd Prince Louis.
SO =Evstly b-aiid-Erd that he had no,
y-, begun to be angry.
ivan q. MuscoNy put out his hand.
Gently. friend he said: Il will
unmask this piayaciinE spEinsald.
This Ia aos your wife. not the woman
you welded and fought toF. no; tho
Lady loan Of iiohons,1in. but some
bssoboTn bfo'hpF. Sho. having her
face. hath played her part. {" mock
and cheat and deceive us ba'h:~
iIp turned again to Maurice Son
t.YRsFs
- ihink Wo have inc; before. Sir
MasGu-r.~ he said. With his usual
saaS- cuITtrsy: Il have. therefore. a
double debt in psS. HithCT'" H."
boCknncti to the guards Whp lined the
sppEuarhTss = presume. siT. 50 true a
CuuFtiCT uili not bTauI before ladies.
Sou recognize that Snu arV in our
pavor. Your suuFi. sir
The Sparha~k looked all about tho
crowded square. Then he snapped
his swuTi over his knee and threw
the pieces down ON the stone steps
"Iou are right. uiIi not azhi vain.
~ here he said. Il kHuu It is use.
less tiut~-hp raised his Vuic"
It known tn all men that ny name is
Maurice. Count Nun I.oCn. and iha, tho
Princess Margaret is my lawfully
welded ~ifUs She cannot then marry
ivaa uf Mussnvy:"
Tho Prince laughed easily ami
spread his hand with gentle dUpruCa.
ii1n. as the guards sUizrd the Spar
hawk and forced him lii'I" space
from the rijngiaz hands Of the Prin.
cess.
4 am an easy man. he said gently.
as hs clicked bis dagger 80 and tTu In
its sheath. when I like a woman. I
would as lief marry heF widow as
maid
Prince l.ouis.'' continued ivan.
turning to the Prince. we ar" keeping
these holy men uepdlpssIy. as we'll as
disappointing she good folk 1t Court
land Of their spectacle. There IL no
need tha, No should stand here any
longer We have matters io discuss
With this gentleman and his wife.
Have yuur leave to bring them to-
scthcr in the palacp7 We may have
something to say to them more at
leisure"
But the Prince Of CORTLAND made
no answer lie moved his hand an.
erily and began tn descend the stairs
towards the waiting horses.
Prince ivan turned toward Maurice
"Yuu viIl follow under escort Of
these gentlemen of my STAFF he said
with smiling equality Of courtesy.
there is no need to discuss intimate
family affairs before half the rabble Of
CourtIand.
lie bowed TO Maurice as u hn had
been inviting him to a feast Maurice
looked about the crowded square. over
the pCnnons Of the Cossacks. Hc
knew there was no hope either in
Hieht or in resistance. All the ap-
prDaches 10 the square had been flled
up with armed men.
Il will follow he answered briefly
Hitherto We have had TO do with
the summer palace by the river. a
building Of no strength. and built more
as a pleasure house for the princely
family than as a place of permanent
habitation. But the Castle Of Court
land was a structure of another sort.
Set on a low rock in the center Of
the town. its walls rose continuous
| " III lie fnnniatlnns nnnal-- M IEn