The Mercur miner. [volume] (Mercur, Utah) 1895-1913, 1906-10-03

men who came, and that one at least
was young.
Fifty knights with white plumes on
their helmets had charged fifty wear.
ing black, and the combat still ragged.
THE Blacks have III" said Des
sauer, after regarding the melee with
interest. I'VE have come in time to
see the end of the fray. Would that
he had also seen the shockl"
And indeed the Blacks seemed to
have carried all before them. They
were mostly bigger and stronger built
men, knights of the landward prov.
inces, and their horses, great solid.
boned Saxon chargers, had by sheer
weight borne their way through the
| lighter ranks OF the Baltic knights on
the white horses.
Not more than half dozen OF these
were now in the saddle, and all over
the field we're to be seen black
knights receiving the submission OF
knights whose broken spears and tar
nished plumes showed that they mad
succumbed in the charge to superior
weight Of metal. For, so soon as a
knight yielded, his steed became the
property of his victorious foe, and he
himself was either carried or limped
as best he could to the pavilion of his
party, there to remove his armour and
send II also to the victor--to whom,
in literal fact, belonged the spells.
OF the half-dozen white knights who
still kept up the struggle, one shone
| pre-eminent for dashing valor. Set
upon by more than a score Of riders,
he still managed to evade them, and
even when all his side had submitted
and he alone remained-at the end OF
the lists to which he had been driven,
he made ready for final charge into
the scarce broken array Of his foes.
OF whom more than twenty remained
still on horseback in the field.
But though his spear struck true in
the middle OF his immediate antag-
onists shield and this opponent went
| down, II awaited the brave white
knight nothing. For at the same mo-
ment half a score OF lances struck
him on the shield, on the breastplate
on the visor bars OF his helmet, and
he fell heavily to the earth. Never
theless. scarcely had he touched the
ground when he was again on his feet.
Sword in hand, he stood for a mo-
ment unscathed and undaunted, while
his foes, momentarily disordered by
the energy of the charge, refined in
their steeds ere they could return to
the attack.
But at this moment the Princess
Margaret, sister of the reigning
Prince. rose in her place and threw
down the truncheon, which In such
cases stops the combat
"The black knights have won" so
she gave her verdict, "but there is no
need to humllate or injure a knight
who has fought so well against so
many. Let the white knight come
hither-though he be of the losing
side. His is the reward OF highest
honor. Give him a steed. that he may
come and receive the need OF bravest
in the tournay!"
The knights of the black we're man
ifestly a little disappointed that after
their victory one of their opponents
should be selected for honor. But
there was no appeal from the decision
OF the Queen of Love and Beauty.
For that day she relgned alone, with
out council or diet imperial.
The white knight came near and
said something in a low voice, un-
heard by the general crowd, to the
Princess.
II insist" she said aloud; you
I ali A..
face of him who has won the prize
whereat the knight bowed and un.
did his helmet. A closely-cropped
fair-haired head was revealed, the
features clearly chiseled and yet OF
a massive beauty, the head Of a mar
BILE emperor.
my brother-youl" cried Margaret
OF CORTLAND in establishment.
The Ambassador looked curiously
at his secretary. He was standinl
with eyes brilliant as those Of a mar
in fever. His face paled even undei
its dusky tan. His lips quivered II,
had Strengthened himself up as brave
and generous men do when they SCI
a deed OF bravery done by another, o.
like a woman who sees the man sh'
loves publicly honored.
"The Princel" said Johann PyT
mont, in a voice hoarse and broken
''it is the Prince himself"
And on his high seat the State
Councillor, Leopold Won DeSsaueI
smiled we'll pleased.
After the tourney OF the Blacl
Eagle Leopold Won Dessauer had gon
TO bed early. feeling younger an,
lighter than he had done for years
Part OF his scheme for there northern
provinces OF his fatherland consiste
in gradual substitution of few stron
4 states for many weak ones. For thi
reason he smiled when he saw tn
q eyes OF his secretary shining Xix
n stars.
II Won Dessauer was lying awake an
b thinking OF the strange chances whlc
> help or mar the lives OF men an
1, women, when a sudden sense c
y shock, a numbness spreading upwar
4 through his limbs, the rising Of rheuI
n to his eyes, and a humming in hi
ears announced the approach OF on