Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-04-27
JUAN &h SG SWORD HAND
a. S.RROcETT.Au .AuaHoc V MeRaaec:ido


solemn aisies OF the pines as In pill
Jared temple. that Conrad. stepping
painfully westwards along the beach.
arrived at the place of his rescue. and.
descending the steep bank OF shingle
TO look for any traces OF the disaster.
came suddenly. upon the Duchess
Joan gazing thoughtfully out to sea.
She turned quickly. hearing tho
sound of footsteps. and at sight OF the
Prince Bishop glanced east and west
along the shore as II meditating re-
treat.
But the proximity Of Max ulrlch and
the encomp passing banks OF water'worn
pebbles convinced her OF the awk.
wardncSs. II not Imposslbill,y. OF cs'
cape.
Conrad the prisoner greeted Joan
with the sweet gravity which had been
characteristic OF him as Conrad the
prince. and his eyes shonc upon her
with the same affcctioraic hndlincsH
that had dwcit In them aS he looked
upon his sister In the pavilion OF the
Tose.garden. Hut after one glance
Joan looked steadily away across the
stccI.;rcy sea. Her feet turned In.
E'InctIvcly to walk back towards the
house and the Prince turned with her.
III We are two fcllow'priSoncrs.
said Conrad. I'VE ought to see NOR" OF
each other. II IL not So?"
That We may concert plans OF cs-
capc." said loan. You desire to con
;inuc your pilgrimage. I to return TO
my people. who. alas. think them
selves better OF without mel"
They paced along together with their
eyes on tn. ground. the wordlcEs Man
keeping a uniform dIStanc. behind
them. Then the Prince laughed
strange. gratin. laugh. like one who
mocsE n; himself.
The world Is III arranged" he said
slowly: my brother Louis would have
made n far better Churchman than ].
And strange Il IL to think that but n
year ago the knights and chief coun-
cliiorN OF courtiand came TO me TO
rrnpos. that. b"cnuEc OF his bodily
weakness. my brother should be de.
posed and that should take over III"
government and direction OF annirH.
He went on without noticing the
color rising In Joan's check. smiling
little to himself and talking with
more animation.
Then, had I aEu"nici. my brother
nigh, have boon walking here with
ionEurcd head by your side. while ]
would doubii-N have been knocking at
tn. gates Of KcTnHbcrE. seeking at the
spears point for runaway bride"
"Nay'" cried Joan. with sudden
ychomcncc: that would you not"
And rs suddenly she stopped. strick'
on dumb by tho sound OF her own
words.
The Prince turned his head full
upon hcr lie saw face all Suffusct
with ho, bushes. hauEhticHt pride
struggling with angry tears In eyes
that fairly biazcd upon him. and
slender figure drawn up into an atti.
,uic of defiance. at sigh, Of which
something took him instantly By the
throat.
You mcan-you mean" he STAN.
mercd. and for n moment was silent.
For Gods sake. tell mo what you
meant"
"i mean nothing at ALL" said Joan.
stamping her foot in anger.
And turning upon her heel she left
him standing fixed In wonder and
doubt upon the margin Of the sea.
Then the wife OF Louis. Prince OF
Courtland. walked eastward 10 the
house upon the Isle Rugen with her
face set as sternly as for battle. but
her neither lip Iuivering. while Con.
rad. Cardinal and Prince Of Holy
Church. paced slowly to the west with
a bitter and downcast look upon his
ordinarily so sunny countenance.
For Fate had been exceeding cruel
to these two.
And meanwhile right haughtily few
the red lion upon the citadel OF korns-
berg. Never had the Lady Duchess.
Joan Of the Sword Hand. approycn
herself so brave and determined. In
her foresters' dress of green velvet.
with the links OF chain body.armor
Flinting beneath its frogs and taches.
she went everywhere on foot. At all
times OF the day she was 10 he seen
at the halfmoons wherein the cannon
were fixed. or on horseback securing
the defenced posts along the city wall.
She seemed to know neither fear nor
fatigue. and the noise of cheering fol-
lowed her about the little hill city like
her shadow.
-hree there were who knew the
truth-Peter Balta, Ait Pikker. and
George the Hussite. And when the
guards we're set. the lamps lit, and
the bars drawn. n stupid Hohensteiner
set on watch at the turnpike foot with
command to let none pass upon his
life-then at last the 1.-THE young Spar
hawk would undo his belt with huge
refreshfui gnstinE Of air into his lungs.