The Elbert County tribune., 1906-06-28
Copyright, 1888 1900. by 5. r. Crockett)


OF no effect. The Diet of the Empire
would cancel them in a moment.
VIII therefore take no rest until this
thing is made clear / swear that
your son shall be Duke Maurice and
sit in his fathers place. as is right
and fitting. For me, ask nothing but
the daughters portion-a grange such
as this, as solitary and as peaceful, a
| garden to delve and beach to wan
der upon at evei"
| AS she spoke Theresa's eyes sudden
ly frightened. A proud high look sat
on the fulness of her lips, which grad
ually faded as some other thought
asserted its supremacy. She rose, and
going straight to Joan. for the first
time she kissed her on the brow.
Now do l know" she said, that
you are Henry the Lions daughter.
That is spoken as he would have spo-
ken 1t. 1t is greatly thought. Yet
1t cannot be-"
ut shall bel" cried Joan imperious-
ly.
Nay" returned Theresa Won Lynar.
Once on time l would have given
my right hand that for half a day, for
one hour, men might have said of me
that | was Henry the Lions wife. and
my son his SOM II would have been
right sweet. All. God. how sweet 1t
would have been!" She paused a mo-
ment as II consulting some unseen
presence. mo, | have vowed my VOW
Here was | hidden to stay and here
will / abide"
Maurice of Hohenstein shall sit in
his fathers seat" said Joan firmly.
II have sworn it. If / live | will see
him settled there with my captains
about him. Werner Won Orseln is an
honest man. He will do him justice.
Won Dessauer shall get him recogniz-
ed, and Hugo of Plassenburg shall
stand his sponsor before the Diet of
the Empire"
81 would it could be So" said The
resa wistfully ''If my death could
cause this thing righteously to come
to pass, how gladly would | end lifei
But I am bound by an oath, and my
son is bound because | am bound. The
tribunal is not the Diet of Ratisbon,
but the faithfulness of a woman's
heart. Have l been loyal to my prince
these many years so that now shame
sits on my brow as gladly as crown
of bay. that l should fail him now?
Low he lies, and l may never stand
beside his sepulchre. No son of mine
shall sit in his high chair. But II in
any sphere of sinful or imperfect
spirits. be 1t hell or purgatory, he
and l shall encounter, think you for
an empire l would meet him shamed.
And when he says, Woman of my
love. hast thou kept thy troth? shall
be compelled to answer Mop
But" urged Joan, this thing is
your sons birthright. My father, for
purposes of state, bound my happi-
ness to a man l loathed. / have cast
that bond to the winds. The fathers
cannot bind the children; no more can
you disinherit your son.
Theresa Won Lynar smiled sad.
wise smile. infinitely patient, infinite
ly remote.
.'Ah," she said, "you think so? You
are young. You have never loved.
You are his daughter, not his wife.
One day you shall know, if God is
good to you!"
At this Joan smiled in her turn. She
knew what she knew.
You may think you know" return
ed Theresa, her calm eyes on the
girls face. "but what l mean by low
ing is another matter. The band you
broke you did not make / keep the
vow l made. With clear eye, undulled
brain. willing hand l made it-because
he willed it. Let my son Maurice
break it, If he can, If he villas you
have broken yours. Only let him
never more call Theresa Won Lynar
mother!"
Joan rose to depart. Her intent
had not been shaken. though she was
impressed by the noble heart of the
woman who had been her fathers
wife. But she also had vowed vow.
and that vow she would keep. The
Sparhawk should yet be the Eagle of
Kernsberg. and she. Joan, home
keeping housewife nested in quiet
ness, barn-door fowl about the or
chards of Isle Rugen.
Madam" she said. "your word is
your word. But so is that of Joan of
Kernsberg. 1t may be that out of
the unseen there may leap chance
which shall bring all to pass, the
things which we both desire-with-
out breaking VOWS or loosing of the
bands of obligation. For me, being
no more than a daughter, | will keep
Duke Henry's will only in that which
is just!"
And l." said Theresa Won Lynar,
will keep It, Just or unjusti"
Yet Joan smiled as she went out.
For she had been countered and
checkmated in sacrifice. She had met
nature greater than her own, and
with the truly noble that is the pleas
ure of pleasures.
All tho u,biIa Conrad cot WOW, ,t;i1