The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1906-06-09

ground. and the Sparhawk, clad III
close fitting squire's dress. stood be-
fore their astonished eyes.
long. low murmur. gathering and
sinking, surged about the square.
Prince Louis gasped. Margaret clung
to her lovers arm, and for the space
Of score of seconds the whole world
stopped breathing
Prince Ivan twisted his mustache
as if he would pull it out by the roots.
80" he said, the Princess is mar
ried. is she? And you are her hus-
band9 Whom God hath joined'-and
the rest of it. Well. we shall see. we
shall see,"
He spoke gently, meditatively. al
most caressingly.
Yes, cried the Sparhawk, defiant
ly. I'VE were married yesterday by
Father Clement, the Princes chaplain.
in the presence of the most noble Leo
pold Won Dessauer, High Councillor Of
PlassenburS,"
And my wife-the Princess Joan.
where is she?" gasped Prince Louis,
SO greatly bewildered that he had not
yet begun to be angry.
Ivan of Muscovy put out his hand
Gently. friend,' he said; Il will
unmask this play-acting springald.
This is not your wife. not the woman
you welded and fought for. not the
Lady Joan of Hohenstein, but some
baseborn brother, who, having her
face. hath played her part, to mock
and cheat and deceive us both"
He turned again to Maurice Won
Lynar.
Il think we have met before, Sir
Masquer," he said, with his usual
suave courtesy; Il have. therefore. a
double debt to pay. Hither!" He
beckoned to the guards who lined the
approaches. Il presume, sir, SO true
courtier will not brawl before ladies.
You recognize that you are in our
power. Your sword. sir.'
The Sparhawk looked all about the
crowded square. Then he snapped
his sword over his knee and threw
the pieces down on the stone steps.
You are right, will not fight vain
ly here" he said. Il know it is use
less. But"-he raised his voice-"be
Maurice, Count Won Loen. and that the
Princess Margaret is my lawfully
welded wife. She cannot then marry
Ivan of Muscovy."
The Prince laughed easily and
spread his hand with gentle depreca-
tion, as the guards seized the Spar
hawk and forced him little space
from the clinging hands of the Prn-
cess.
Il am an easy man" he said gently
as he clicked his dagger to and fro in
its sheath. When | like a woman,
would as lief marry her widow as
maid,
prince Louis,' continued Ivan,
turning to the Prince, we are keeping
these holy men needlessly, as well as
Disappointing the good folk of Court
land of their spectacle. There is no
need that we should stand here any
longer. We have matters to discuss
with this gentleman and his wife
Have your leave to bring them to-
gether in the palace? We may have
something to say to them more at
leisure"
But the Prince of Courtland made
no answer. He moved his hand an
grily and began to descend the stairs
towards the waiting horses.
Prince Ivan turned toward Maurice
you will 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
Courtland.
He bowed to Maurice as If he had
been inviting him to feast. Maurice
looked about the crowded square over
the pennons of the Cossacks. He
knew there was no hope either in
flight or in resistance. All the ap.
proaches to the square had been filled
up with armed men.
'I 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 structure of another sort
Set ON a low rock in the center of
the town. its walls rose continuous
with its foundations. equally massive
and impregnable, to the height OF
over seventy feet. For the first TWEEN
ty-five neither window nor grating
broke the grim uniformity of that
mighty wall of rock. Above that line
only a few small openings half-closed
with iron bars evidenced the fact that
great prince had his dwelling with
in. The main entrance to the Castle
was through gateway closed by a
grim iron-toothed porticullis. Then a
short tunnel led to another and yet
stronger defense-a deep natural fosse
which surrounded the rock on all sides
and over which a drawbridge con-
Quoted into the courtyard Of the castle.
Tho Cporboyl- lpaw yary uall thai