The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-03-26

SiOuhu, dnc the SpdfndWhs cidu AZ
close-fitting squire's dress, stood be-
fore their astonished eyes.
A long, low murmur, gathering and |
sinking, surged about the square. |
Prince Louis gasped. Margaret chung |
to her lovers arm, and for the space |
of score of seconds the whole world |
stopped breathing
Prince Ivan twisted his mustache
as if he would pull it out by the roots.
80" he said, "the Princess is mar
ried, is she? And you are her hus-
band? Whom God hath joined'-and
the rest of it. Well, we shall see, we
shall see!"
He spoke gently, meditatively, al
most caressingly.
Yes" cried the Sparhawk, defiant
ly, 1--WE were married yesterday by
Father Clement, the Princes chaplain,
in the presence of the most noble Leo
pold Won Dessauer, High Councillor of
Plassenburg!"
and my wife-the Princess Joan.
where is she?" gasped Prince Louis,
so greatly bewildered that he had not
yet begun to be angry.
Ivan of Muscovy put out his hand.
Gently, friend" he said; Il will
unmask this play-acting springald.
This is not your wife, not the woman
you welded and fought for, not the
Lady Joan of Hohenstein, but some
baseborn brother. who, having her
face, hath played her part, to mock
and cheat and deceive us both!"
He turned again to Maurice Won
Lynar.
81 think we have met before, Sir
Masquer," he said, with his usual
suave courtesy; 81 have, therefore,
double debt to pay. Hither!" He
beckoned to the guards who lined the
approaches. 81 presume, sir, so true
courtier will not brawl before ladies.
You recognize that you are in our
power. Your sword, sir"
The Sparhawk looked ali about the
crowded square Then he snapped
| his sword over his knee and threw
! the pieces down on the stone steps.
you are right, l win not fight vain
| ly here" he said. 81 know it is use
less. But"-he raised his voice-'be
it known to all men that my name is
Maurice, Count Won Loen, and that the
Princess Margaret is my lawfully
welded wife. She cannot then marry
Ivan of Muscovy!"
The Prince laughed easily and
spread his hand with gentle depreca-
! ton, as the guards seized the Spar
hawk and forced him a little space
from the clinging hands of the Prin-
cess.
81 am an easy man" he said gently,
as he clicked his dagger to and fro in
it's sheath when like a woman, /
would as lief marry her widow as
maidl
Prince Louis" continued Ivan
turning to the Prince. I'VE are keeping
these holy men needlessly. as we'll as
disappointing the good folk of Court
land of their spectacle. There is nc
need that we should stand here any
longer. We have matters to discuss
with this gentleman and his wife
Have 1 your leave to bring them to
gether in the palace? We may have
something to say to them more a
leisure"
But the Prince of CORTLAND made
no answer. He moved his hand an
grily and began to descend the stairs
towards the waiting horses.
Prince Ivan turned toward Maurice
You will follow under escort o
these gentlemen of my staff" he sal,
with smiling equality of courtesy
there is no need to discuss intimat,
family affairs before half the rabble o
CORTLAND
He bowed to Maurice as If he ha,
been inviting him to feast Mauric
looked about the crowded square, owe
the pennons of the Cossacks. H
knew there was no hope either il
flight or in resistance. All the al
proaches to the square had been file
up with armed men.
81 will followl" he answered briefly
Hitherto we have had to do wit
the summer palace by the river,
building Of no strength, and built NOR
as a pleasure house for the princel
family than as a place of permane1
habitation. But the Castle of Cour
land was structure of another sor
Set on a low rock in the center {
the town, its walls rose continuou
with it's foundations, equally massiv
and impregnable, to the height {
over seventy feet. For the first twel
ty-five neither window nor gratin
broke the grim uniformity of ths
mighty wall of rock. Above that lin
only few small openings half-close
with iron bars evidenced the fact ths
a great prince had his dwelling witt
in. The main entrance to the Cast
was through a gateway closed by
grim iron-toothed porticullis. Then
: short tunnel led to another and W
stronger defense-a deep natural floss
S which surrounded the rock on all side
e and over which a drawbridge COZ
Quoted into the courtyard of the castl
e The Sparhawk knew very well tn;
5. he was going to his death as he roc
e through the streets of the city
CORTLAND, but none would have di
\