The Elbert County tribune., 1906-04-26
JOAN fHh III SWORD HAND ID
M S.RROCKETT.l .l4u1zar az MeRua@uoc
Copyright. 1885 1900. by s. r. crocl<ett.)
CHAPTER XVI.
WING and PRIEST.

wife and Priest.
II have a right to cull myself the
widow OF the Duke Henry of Kerns-
berg and Hohenstein,' said Theresa
Won Lynar, in reply to Conrad's ques-
ton as to whom he might thank for
rescue and shelter.
And therefore the mother of the
Duchess Joan?" he continued.
Theresa shook her head.
NO" she said sadly; 81 am not her
mother, but-and even that only In
a sense-her stepmother. A promise
to dead man has kept me from
claiming any privileges save that OF
of sand and mist. Ny son is an Of
f1cer in the service of the Duchess
Joan
The face of the Prince-Bishop light
ed up instantaneously.
Most surely. then. know him. Did
he not come to Courtland with my
Lord Dessauer, the Ambassador OF
Plasenburg?"
The lady of Isle Rugen nodded in
differently.
YES" she said; 81 believe he went
to Courtland with the embassy from
Plassenburg
Indeed, was much drawn to him.
said the Prince eagerly; Il remember
him most vividly. He was OF an olive
complexion, his features without
color, but craven even as the Greeks
cut those of a young god on GEM
YES" said Theresa Won Lynar Sc
renely "he has his fathers face and
carriage. which are those also OF the
Duchess joan"
In the morning Joan came to bid
the patient good morrow, while Wer-
ner Won Orseln stood in the doorway
with his steel cap doffed in his hand,
and Boris and Jorian bent the knee
for priestly blessing. But Theresa
did not again appear till night and
darkness had wrapped the earth. and
being all alone he listened to the
heavy plunge of the breakers on the
beach among which his life had been
SO nearly sped. The sound grew slow
er and slower after the storm. until
at last the wavelets of that sheltered |
sea lapsed on the shingle in a sort of
breathing whisper.
And so day passed and came again.
Long nights. too. at first with hourly
tendance and then presently without.
But Joan sat no more with the young
man after that first watch, though his
soul longed for her. that he might
again tell her that she was his broth
er's wife, and urge her to do her duty |
by him who was her welded husband. |
SO Conrad contented himself and |
salved his conscience by thinking
austere thoughts of his mission and
high place in the hierarchy of the only
Catholic and Apostolic Church. So
that presently he would rise up and
seek Werner Won Orseln in order to
persuade him to let him go. that he
might proceed to Rome at the com
mand of the Holy Father. whose SER
want he was.
But Werner only laughed and put |
him off.
when we have sure word of what
your brother does at Kernsberg. then
we will talk of this matter. Till then
It cannot be hid from you that no
hostage half SO valuable can we keep
in hold''
So after many days it was permitted
to the Prince to walk abroad within
the narrow bounds of the Isle Rugen.
the Wordless Man guarding him at
fifty PAGES distance, impassive and
inevitable as an ambulant rock of the
seaboard.
AS he went Prince Conrads eyes
glanced this way and that, looking for
q means Of escape. Yet they saw
none. for Werner Won Orseln with his
ten men Of Kernsberg and the two
captains of Plassenburg were not SOL
diers to make mistakes. 1t chanced,
however, that upon a warm and gra-
cious afternoon, when the breezes