The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1906-06-30

tCopyright, 1875, l!Ul. by 5. r. Crockett)

| fathers compact and condition are
of no effect. The Diet of the Empire
would cancel them in a moment
will therefore take no rest until this
! thing is made clear swear that
! your son shall be Duke Maurice and
sit in his fathers place, as is right
and fitting. For me. ask nothing but
| the daughters portion-a grange such
as this, as solitary and as peaceful, a
garden to delve and a beach to wan
t der upon at eve!"
As she spoke Theresa's eyes sudden
ly frightened. A proud high look sat
on the fulness of her lips, which grad
/ ually faded as some other thought
asserted its supremacy. She rose. and
| going straight to Joan. for the first
| time she kissed her on the brow.
Now do I know" she said, that
you are Henry the Lions daughter.
| That is spoken as he would have spo-
ken it. 1t is greatly thought Yet
it cannot be-
| ly.
Nay" returned Theresa Won Lynar.
| Once on time l would have given
my right hand that for half day. for
one hour, men might have said OF me
that l was Henry the Lions wife, and
my son his son, 1t would have been
right sweet All. God, how sweet it
would have been.' She paused . mo-
ment as If consulting some unseen
| presence. NO. | have vowed my vow.
Here was l bidden to stay and here
will | abide"
Maurice of Hohenstein shall sit in
his fathers seat" said Joan firmly
Il have sworn it. If live will see
him settled there with my captains
about him. Werner Won Orseln is an
honest man. He will do him justice
Won Dessauer shall get him recogniz-
ed. and Hugo of Plassenburg shall
stand his sponsor before the Diet of
the Empire"
Il would it could be So" said The
| resa wistfully. If my death could
cause this thing righteously to come
to pass, how gladly would l end life!
But l am bound by an oath. and my
son is bound because | am bound. The
tribunal is not the Diet of Ratisbon,
| but the faithfulness of womans
heart. Have | been loyal to my prince
. these many years so that now shame
sits on my brow as gladly as a crown
of bay, that | should fail him now"
Low he lies. and l may never stand
beside his sepulchre. No son of mine
shall sit in his high chair But if in
any sphere of sinful or imperfect
spirits, be it hell or purgatory, he
and | shall encounter. think you for
an empire l would meet him shamed
And when he says, Woman of my
! love, hast thou kept thy troth?' shall
| be compelled to answer 'No'?"
But" urged Joan, this thing is
your sons birthright. My father, for
purposes of state, bound my happi-
ness 10 a man l loathed. l have cast
that bond to the winds. The fathers
cannot bind the children; no more can
you disinherit your SON."
Theresa Won Lynar smiled a sad,
wise smile. infinitely patient, infinite
| ly remote
"Ah," she said, "you think so? You
| are young. You have never loved.
You are his daughter. not his wife.
One day you shall know, il God is
good to YOU"
! At this Joan smiled in her turn She
| knew what she knew.
You may think you krow." return
ed Theresa, her calm eyes on the
! girls face, but what | mean by low
! ing is another matter. The band you
broke you did not make. | keep the
VOW l made. With clear eye, undulled
brain willing hand l made it-because
he wlled it. Let my son Maurice
break it, if he can, if he villas you
have broken yours. Only let him
rever more call Theresa Won Lynar
t mother"
Joan rose to depart. Her intent
| had not been shaken. though she was
/ impressed by the noble heart of the
woman who had been her fathers
wife. But she also had vowed vow,
and that vow she would keep. The
| Sparhawk should yet be the Eagle of
| kernsberg and she, Joan, home
| keeping housewife nested in quiet
ness. a barn-door fowl about the or
| chards of Isle Rugen.
! Madam she said. your word is
! your word. But SO is that of Joan of
| Kernsberg. 1t may be that out of
| the unseen there may leap a chance
! which shall bring all to pass, the
| things which we both desire-wth-
! out breaking VOWS or loosing of the
| bands of obligation. For me. being
no more than daughter, l will keep
/ Duke Henry's will only in that which
| is just"
And l." said Theresa Won Lynar,
will keep it, just or unjust"
Yet Joan smiled as she went ont.
| For she had been countered and
| checkmated in sacrifice. She had met
a nature greater than her own, and