Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-06-01

Ing grlmiy. But bring his HIghness
n cup OF wine. and send hither Alexis
the Deacon. my own physician"
The officer went out cursing the
Muscoyite ears that had listened To
such things. and also high Heaven
for giving such u Prince TO his father
land.
Al the Princess door Prince Ivan
tapped gently and inclined his ear To
listen. Louis fumbicd with his golden
cruclhx. and ns the Muscovitc turned
away his head he pressed II furtiyciy
TO his lips. Ever since he set foo, In
the Summer Palace he had been nut.
rapid underione.
Prince Louis to see Princess Joan!"
Ivan answered the low.voiccd chai.
leIgc from within. The door opened
slightly and then more widely. Ivan
pushed his friend forward and they
entered. Louis dragging one foo, after
the other towards the shaded couch
by which knclt the Princess Margaret.
Thora Of Bornhoim. paiiid and blue.
Tipped. stood beside her. swsyIn. n lit
tie hut s,iii holding. hall unconscious.
ly. n silver basin. Into which Margaret
dipped n iinc linen cloth. before touch.
Ing with Il tn. foa M. ncckcd lips Of
the sufferer. Prince Ivan remained u
little back. near to where the court
physicians were comforting together In
stage whispers. AE he passed. n tall
rIcy.skir'cd. lorg.bcardcd man. .lri
about III" middi. with silver chain.
Gcinchd himself from the official group
and approached Prince Ivan. After
an Instructive cringing movement OF
homage and snlutaiion. he bent TO the
young mans ear ard whispered half
dozen words. Prince Ivan nodded
very slightly and tn. man stole away
as he had come. No one In the room
had noticed tn" Incident.
Meanwhile Louis OF Couriiand. al
most as pale as ThoTa hcrHcif. his lips
blue. his teeth chatIcrinE. his fingers
clammy with Precipitation. stood uy
the bedside cluichinI tho cruclas
Presently hand was laid upon his
arm. lie started violently mt the
touch.
1T Is ,rtic-a bad case" said Ivan
In his ear. Let liz get away: I must
speak with you at once. The physI.
clans have given their verdict. They
can do nothing
With n gasp Of relief Prince Louis
faced about. ard NJ he turned he tot.
tered.
STEADY. friend I.ouis:" said Prince
Ivan In his ear and passed his arm
about his waist.
He began TO fear lest he should have
frightened his dupc too thoroughly.
See how ho loves herr" murmurcd
the doctors OF healing. still comforting
with their heads together. who
would have believed IL possiblcS
Nay. he Is only much afraid" said
Alexis the Deacon. the Nuscovite doc
tor: "and small blame TO him. now
that the Black Death has come TO
Cour,land. In half an hour we shall
hear the death.rattle."
Then there is no need of us stay.
ing" said more than one learned doc.
tor. and they moved softly towards
the door. But Ivan had possessed
himself OF the key. and even as the
bar the bolt was shot In his face.
And the eyes of Alexis the Deacon
glowed between his narrow red lids
like sparks In tindcr as he glanced at
the whitening faces OF the learned
men OF Courtland.
without the door Ivan fixed Prince
Louis with his will.
Now" he said. speaking in low.
trenchant tones. III this be indeed the
Black Death land II is like iD. there
Is no safety for us here. We must get
without walls. In an hour there will
be such n panic in the city as has not
OF escape. My Cossacks stand hotsed
and ready without. Let us go with
them. But the Princess Margaret
must come also!'
But-but-but-" Louis still oh.
jected. "the Princess Joan-she may
die. That will reflect upon my honor
II We all desert her. My sister will
continue TO attend her. They are
friends. will go with you Mar.
garet can remain and nurse herr"
A light like a spear point glittered
momentarily under the dark brows OF
the Muscovite.
Listen, Prince Louis" he said.
Your honor Is your honor. Joan of
the Sword Hand and her Black
Plaques are your own affair. She is
your wife, not mine. I have helped
you to get her back-no more. But
the Princess Margaret is my business.
have bought her with price. And
look you. sir. I will not ride back to
Russia empty-handed, that every petty
boyar and starveling serf may scoff at
me saying. He helped the Prince of
Courtland to win his wife. but he could
not bring back one himself The
whole city. the whole country from
I..u G... LnA