The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-12-25
Copyright 1898, 1900, by s. R. Crockett)

the light fell on those in the boat,
and their faces looked strangely white
in that illuminated circle, surrounded
as it was by pent house of tense
blackness black pines, black water,
black sky
Follow me-" said the woman, in
deep, rich yoice-a voice whose tones
thrilled those who heard them to
their hearts, so rich and low We're
some of the notes.
Joan of the Sword Hand rose to her
feet.
Il am the Duchess of Hohenstein.
and | do not leave this boat till
know in what place | am and who
this may be that cries Follow TO the
daughter of Henry the Lion,"
The tall woman turned without bow
ing and looked at the girl
II am the mother of Maurice Won
Lynar, and this is the Isle Rugen"
she said simply, as if the answer were
all-sufficient
The woman in the crimson cloak
waited for Joan to be assisted from
the boat, and then, without a word of
greeting, led the way up little sand.
ed path to a gate which opened in
high stone wall. Through this she
admitted her guests, whereupon they
found themselves in an enclosure
with towers and battlements rising
dimly all round.
Then came a long, grey building,
another door, low and creaking heay
lily on unaccustomed hinges, sudden
burst of light, and 10, the wanderers
found themselves within a lighted
hall, wherein were many stands of
arms and armor, mingled with skins
of wild animals, wide-spreading, many
tined antlers, and other, records of
the chase.
The woman who had been their
guide now set down her lantern and
allowed the hood of her cloak to slide
from her head. Werner and his two
male companions, the captains of Plas-
senburg, fell back little at the appa-
rition. They had expected to see
some bag or crone, fit companion of
their wordless guide.
Instead woman stood before them,
not girlish certainly, nor yet in the
first bloom of her youth, but glorious
even among fair women by reason of
the ripeness of her beauty.
The mother of that young paladin,
their Sparhawk? 1t seemed impossi-
BILE. This woman was too youthful,
too fair, too bountiful in her gracious
| beauty to be the mother of such
tense young yew-bow as Maurice Won
Lynar.
my lady JOAN" she said, in the
same thrilling voice, my son has sent
me word that till a certain great dan.
| ger is overpast you are to abide with
me here on the Isle Rugen. | live
alone, save for this one man, dumb
Max Ulrich, long since cruelty manned
at the hands of his enemies. | can
offer you no suite of attendants be-
yond those you bring with you. Our
safety depends on the secrecy of our
abode, as for many years my own life
has done. | ask you, therefore, to re-
spect our privacy, as also to impose
the same upon your soldiers"
The Duchess Joan bowed slightly.
las you doubtless know, | have not
come hither of my own free will"
she answered haughtily; "but l thank
you, madam, for your hospitality.
Rest assured that the secrecy of your
dwelling shall not be endangered by
mel"
Then with a large gesture the elder
indicated the way up the broad stair
case, and throwing her own cloak
completely off she caught it across
her arm as it dropped and so fol-
! lowed Joan out of sight
| Il y Il
Instinct was 50 strong that, as soon
as the women had withdrawn them
selves upstairs, the three captains
started towards the door to make the
round of the defences. The Wordless
Man accompanied them unasked. The
square enclosure in which they found
themselves seemed liker an old fortified
farmhouse of grange than regular
castle, though the walls were thick
as those of any fortress, being loop.
holed for musbetry, and Gin those
days of bombards few and heavy cap
able of standing siege in good ear.
nest against a small army.
The three captains returned through
the hall into long dining room vault,
ed above with beams of solid oak.
Curtains were drawn close all about
the walls In the recesses were many
stands of arms of good and recent
construction, and opening a cupboard
with the freedom of man at arms.
Boris saw ramrods, powder, and shot
| arranged in order as neatly as though