The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-20

Organ. I heard something else
stealthy footsteps coming along the
corridor. Under the circumstances it
was not strange that I should think
of treachery- I drew my sword noise
Iess1y and waited There was quick
shock at my door.
"Who comes at so late an hour?' I
said, throwing the door open and ready
to defend myself.
'fWelco1ne you all your friends so,
Sir Verral1?'
1t was Jasar, and he smiled as he
pointed to my drawn sword.
st expected a foe.''
"And perhaps with reason" he said.
s'Sdll, I come as a friend and secretly.
Close the door and make it fast and
let us speak low. Your servant has
not returnedY'
"fNo."
"And will not tonight. He was found
brawling in the streets and was ar
rested
'I thought soldiers were privileged
to braWl tonight said.
t'Some-not ALL"
'You mean that only my servant was
arrested?''
He bowed and watched me with
smile upon his face, even as he had
watched me as pleaded to the prin-
cess.
"By vasca's orders, doubtless?"
Doubtless
"Ah, for few moments with him
to settle our score now and for all
timer said impatiently.
''What can you expect? A fallen
man is ever a stepping stone which
10 TO III 70
"Fallen, you sayI 1t is too rash an
assertion. Falling, perhaps, but not
fallen. When Sir Verran completely
falls he'll carry some ruin with him.
'Brave words-an idle boast / should
have said had another uttered them.
But Sir Verran has proved himself as
good as his words. Tell me, are all
men as you are in the land you come
from?"
''I am but a poor specimen of my
countEymen,'' I answered. And then
I stopped, remembering how I had
come to Drussenland as the long ex-
pected knight
1--WE must talk of that another time,''
he answered, with a smile. "Now we
have other matters in hand. You are
right, Sir Verran. You have not fallen
yet, but there are those who think
you have"
"FYou mean began.
FsMark you, Sir Verran, you were
unwise tonight
ITO plead for those wretched pris-
oners?''
'eNo. For that I honor you. 1t was
the action of a true knight. THE law
is a disgrace I quarrel not with
your pleading, but with the manner of
it,
att was the only way
"There YOU are in error'' he an
swered 'fF'irst you should have come
alone| To associate Lady Aldrida
with the request was to court failure.
Then you should not have asked for
an immediate answer. Her highness
cannot make and break laws at her
pleasure. Your poItunity made her
resist you"
s'Made her doubt my loyalty" I said
bitterly. Had a man so accused me
would have cut out his lying
tongue
'eYou gave the challenge, Sir Yer
rail-, and since none dared to answer
it you had the advantage. But you
did not use it. You turned to sneer
at the princess. Think you any wom-
an can bear that?'
'sMy knowledge of women is limit
ed"
"True, 1 have found it so. You
should learn to read women, Sir Yer
rail-, and then you would know how to
use your advantage. The princess,
after all, is woman"
looked at him, trying to discover
deep meaning in his words, but Jasar's
face was not easy to read.
t'I used the weapons to my hand" I
said.
"And used them badly-your last
weapon worst of all. It was bravely
done, but 1t was madness just them
''I am no courtier where the lives Of
men are at stake"
'FWhen you should be the eourtier
most. Yet you do yourself an injus
tice. I marked you play the courtier
well enough to the Lady Aldrida, and
the princess saw it also. I can read
on the Lady Aldrida's face what the
man who whispers to her talks of. I
saw well that you talked of love-"
fAnd if I did?''
''Was it wise, think you, to produce
the princess token when you had
proved how lightly you esteemed ft?''
This was an argument I could not
find a ready answer to without show
ing this priest, of whose friendship
had no guarantee, that I thought more