Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-02-08

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is, understand, contrary to your holy
Roman fifth. But in my land we have
discovered reader way than any
papal bull. Be good enough to OBJ
serve this'-he held dagger in his
hand 1T is little blade of steel, but
a span long, and narrow as one of
your dainty fingers, yet it will divorce
the best married pair in the world
But neither dagger nor the hate of
enemies can sever love-" Margaret an
swered proudly. you may STAY my
husband, but he is mine still. You
cannot twain our souls"
The Prince shrugged his shoulder
and opened his palms deprecatingly.
Madam he said, 81 shall be salts
fed with twaining your bodies. In
holy Russia we are plain men. We
have saying, No one hath ever seen
a soul. Let the body content you!'
When this gentleman is-what | shall
make him, he is welcome to any COM
munion of spirits to which he can at
tain with you. l promise you that, so
far as he is concerned, you shall find
me neither exigent lover nor jealous
husband"
And the Prince of Muscovy laughed
loud and long. But Prince Louis did
not laugh. His eyes glared upon the
prisoner like those of wild beast
caught in corner when it wishes to
fee but cannot.
HE shall die-this day shall be his
last. l swear it," he cried. ''He hath
Knocked me. and l will Stay him with
my hand"
He drew the dagger from his belt.
But in the center of the hall the
Sparhawk stood so still and quiet that
Prince Louis hesitated. Ivan laid
soft hand upon his wrist and as gently
drew the dagger out of his grasp.
NAY, my Prince, he will give him
a worthier passing than that. So no
BILE knight-errant must die no COM
Ukraine Cross, the Cross of Steeds?
have here four horses, all wild from
the steppes. This squire of danes,
this woman-mummer, hath, as now we
know. four several limbs. By a strange
coincidence | have a wild horse for
each of these. Let limbs and steeds
be severally attached. my Cossacks
know how. Upon each flank let the
lash be laid-and-well, the Princess
Margaret is welcome to her liege lords
soul. I warrant she will not desire his
body any more"
At this Margaret tottered, her knees
giving way beneath her, so that her
she should fall
'Louis-my brother" she cried, "do
not listen to the monster. Kill my
husband if you will-because 1 love
him. But do not torture him. BY the
last words of our mother. by the
memory of our father, by your faith |
in the Most Pitiful Son of God, |
charge you-do not this devilry."
Prince Ivan did not give Louis of |
CORTLAND time to reply to his sisters |
appeal.
"The most noble Princess mistakes"
he murmured, suavely. Death by |
the Cross of Steeds is no torture. 1t |
is the easiest of death. | have wit
messed it often. In my country it is |
for the greatest and most dis
No common felon dies by
the Cross of Steeds, but men whose
pride it is to die greatly. We will
show you tomorrow on the plain
across the river that speak the truth
It is a noble sight and all CORTLAND
shall be there. What say you, Louis?
Shall this springald seat himself in
your princely chair, or-shall we try
the Cross of the Ukraine?"
"Have it your own way, Prince
Ivan." said Louis, and went out with
put another word The Muscovite
stood a moment looking from Maurice
% Margaret and back again. He
was smiling his inscrutable Oriental
smile.
"Let the Princess pass" he cried.
rhe guards dropped their swords to
heir sides.
Instantly the Princess Margaret ran
Onward with eager appeal on her face.
She dropped on her knees before the
Prince of Muscovy and clasped her
lands in supplication
prince Ivan," she said, 81 pray you
or the love of God to spare him, to
ct him go. | promise never 70 see
lin more. l will go to a nunnery.
viii look no more upon the face of
lay"
"That, above all things, cannot al
ow," said the Prince. $50 fair face
must see many suns-soon, trust, in
Moscow and by my side"
Margaret" said the Sparhawk, ut
5 useless to plead Do not abase your
elf in the presence of our enemy. You
annot touch a mans heart when his