The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-01

a messenger TO ask IL the party had
gone. and Bertha replied that they
were still In the castle
The young man must have possessed
q refinement superior 10 his fellows OF
that rude age. for though he noticed
from the moment he met the girl that
she wore the ruby heart on her left
breast. he did not ask why she did so.
Though he felt the effect of Cupids
shaft as soon as he saw her. he seemed
to be resisting 1t. This only made her
more eager 10 conquer him.
One evening just before dark n craft
was seen floating down the river load
ed with merchandise. Bertha. who was
with the count. stole away from him
and. DOMINIC her military costume, de-
scended to the creek. took command
of the boats starting TO levy tribute
and went out TO intercept the stranger.
There was n fight. in which the latter
was worsted. as usual. and the tax
paid. Bertha. flushed with the fray. re-
turned to the castle and. ascending a
spiral staircase leading TO her room to
change her costume. met Count Hubert
face TO face
The, sight OF the. girl. her dark eyes
flashing with the memory of the fight.
her raven hair that had come UNI
loosened and fallen in coil on her
shoulder. her tight fitting costume dis
playing the grace Of her supple figure
was too much for the young lover.
o., Ii
.sistance to the spell he had fallen I'M
der. he broke through all reserve.
clasped her in his arms and pressed
his cheek against hers.
Disengaging herself, she told him
the meaning Of the ruby heart.
"Alasp he said. II am no swords
man. have been interested in knowl-
edge and my profession is diplomacy.
| have neither taste for arms nor
time 10 perfect myself in their use
Nevertheless I shall avail myself Of
my only chance"
Although those were rough times
and Bertha was q real. not sham,
fighter, she did not mean by wearing
tlse yuby that the man who would win
her must stab her in the heart. 1t
was intended 10 give. notice that he
must be sufficiently skillful TO do so.
She told Count Hubert that he must
place the point of his rapier upon the
ruby, leaving him TO infer that IL he
went further he would kill her. The
count was appalled, and ready to fore
go the trial, but Bertha egged him OH,
saying that she felt perfect confidence
in being able to protect herself. Be
side himself with a love which he
must take so great risk to crafty.
lie consented to the meeting, declaring
that If through mishap he killed her
he would plunge his weapon into his
o,n heart.
From the staircase Bertha went TO
Ter room, where she dressed herself in
fencing costume, and instead of the
rlby on her heart she wore q heart
Iade OF red silk, much better tar
get than the jewel. Rejoinfng Count
Hubert, the two went to the armory.
where taking up swords that had al
ready been used in such encounters,
they put themselves in fencing posi-
tons,
Now the count. as has been said.
was no swordsman, but q diplomat
Knowing that IL he won at all 1t must
be by diplomacy. he sought plan
that would bring him success by
ruse But no plan suggested itself
except one fraught with danger, and
he was loath 10 use It, For an hour he
fenced with his antagonist. hoping to
tire her out, but at the end of that
time she seemed as fresh as ever,
while he had lost strength Then he
determined, as last resort to put
into practice his stratagem. Pressing
his antagonist holly, he forced her to
assume the defensive, and when she
did so. their swords being crossed, he
guided the point of hers into fieshy
part of his right side.
Bertha, horror stricken. withdrew
her sword, then dropped II. Hubert
stood immovable till he heard the
weapon rattle on the floor. then, taking
his own sword by the blade. made
Iunge and touched the red heart on her
breast with its hllt. Flinging his weap-
ON away, he cried exultingly:
. 81 have won"
Summoning assistance. Bertha had
the count, who was weak from loss Of
blood carried TO his room. A surgeon
was called, but since in those days
there was no remedy except blood let
ting and the patient had quite enough
Of that there was nothing to do but
bind up the wound.
One OF the counts escort, hearing
that his leader had been stabbed, rush
ed into the room where Bertha was
over the wounded man. seeing
his condition, shouted:, ~ r-9f
Treason. The prince has been as
sassinated."
"The princes" exclaimed Bertha.
lghast.
Yes. the prlDce-the crown prince"
Peace" said the wounded man. "I
have not been assassinated. have
met with an accident In play"
And thus il came out that Count HUI.
bert was the crown prince. who incog
~,