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THE HOUSE OP ISSTEN6.
ft
By Sir JY Artagan Listens, Cadet of a Great IT arise, Knight cf the
Royal Order nf Wassmark and One. Ti ire Embassador
to the Court of Charles I of England.
tr.
MAD 2 INTO A ROMANCE BY THEODORE ROBERTS.
•t
Copyright, 1899, by American Press Association.
CHAPTER Xin.
THE TRYST WITH THE PRINCESS
As we were about to leave the place
a fellow of the swashbuckler stamp
came in with great clashing of his
scabbard
He reelpd against me, and on the in
stant 1 felt something plncked from the
inside of the open breast of my cloak
“This is a pretty bauble, "he grin
ned. holding Princess Barbara’s buckle
in his hennd. and even as 1 clutched at
him he discovered the great price of
the stones and dashed past toward the
door With shouts of rage and many
threats we all sped after him. the poets
dropping their verses and ruuuing lus
tily
The street was empty save for the
flying figure of the thief With a fair
running ground before ns. Tom and J
kept our wind for the chase, but the
rhyme writers and Red Harding con
tinued bellowing out and waving tbeir
swords, much to the danger of each
Other's head
Soon we saw that the man with the
buckle, by the manner of his running,
was much further in wine than any of
our party He stopped frequently to
take bieath He fell over twice, and at
last, with Tom tit bis heels, dashed
aside in the doorway of a tall house
In we went after him like a pack of
hounds
Then began an awfnl tripping across
each other s legs and overturning of
tables, for the bull was pitch dark The
door slammed shut after the last yell
ing poet had scrambled in For awhile
we had a devil of a time, and when by
some unseen agency the candles were
lit we had a much worse one, for w>
found ourselves in a trap of robbers and
cutthroats, all garbed and armed like
soldiers and gentlemen And the man
who had led us here was not so far
gone in drink as we had at first sup
posed
There, in the narrow richly appoint
ed hall occurred a woeful fight The in
mates were two to our one. but hap
pily. owing to broken furniture and
limited space, this gave them little ad
vantage
At the very first of it I longed nt the
thief who still held Barbara's buckle.
aDd spitted him clean through the side
It was but the work of a moment to
snatch the trinket from his twitching
fingers and fasten it on my own breast
While engaging a hurley, thick leg
ged rascal across a bench I saw with
the corner of my eye one of the poets
shouting and stabbing at a man of
twice his size They spun about and
leaped back and on like crazy men and
were both very drunk But presently
the scribe changed his rapier to bis left
hand and brought down a cracking
broadsword cut cn his antagonist’s
bead which ended that little passagh of
arms
Red Harding, after sorely wounding
his mah went back and kicked the
door until it fell out into the street
Dragging one of the wounded with ns
we retreated, and the enemy forbore
following
After helping our wounded friend to
the nearest inn we then returned to the
palace, thanking the saints for taking
ns out of so merry a scrape alive
1 awoke early on the morrow, and
in getting out of bed felt a severe pain
in my left knee 1 put my foot to the
floor and the agony brought an impa
tient oath to my lips Dropping buck
on to the bed I examined the painful
joint. aDd. to my disgust, found it
puffed and blue. This! is what came of
fighting in the dark
After the doctor bad looked at it and
punched the swelling with his lean
finger he shook his head till the wig
settled over one ear
“You must go on crutches for a week
or two. my good sir, and no more rid
ing nor fencing till the inflammation
has ’’ he said
The gentlemen of the guard, who
were clustered about, drew down their
mouths in sorrow, all feeling that
crutches were second only to the coffin
The doctor stamped toward the door,
but turned on the threshold and deliv
ered a last remark
“Wine or malt liquors in the system
will add to the inflammation. Cavalier
lsstens ’
He left amid a thunder of groans.
Ten minutes after 1 sat with my foot
cn a chair and played a game of chance
with Beverley and two of his fellows,
and the decanters stood on the table.
In the evening the big pcct-guards
man came in and found me alone
After exchanging commonplaces he
began to fidget in his chair and look at
me uneasily
“Pray part with it. my friend.” I
said gayly
"By the sword of St. Peter, how did
yon know 1 had anything to say ?" he
asked
For answer I passed him a tobacco
pipe, knowing that the fashionable
habit was strong upon him
After blowing ont a few wreaths of
white smoke he said
“Have yon heard about the letter
yonr king wrote to Princess Barbara ?’
1 shook my bead
“Some one told me that a few days
3go be sent her a letter accusing her of
faithlessness.'
“How did the countess come to hear
of it f’ 1 interrupted.
The big guardsman blushed and clap
ped his heels together
“The person who toitL me heard it
from the princess, who does not seem
concerned at all.” be replied
1 looked ont of the window and bit
my lip
“She has written back a missive that
will imt mtud matters, and bis majesty
Ktiliord is wrathy ns the devil.” he
ecu tin'’‘id
“Which is all passing strange,” 1
said at last “But of what interest to
me V
The poet grinned and poured a glass
of wine. “A health to you, you sly
dog!” he cried, and drained the glass.
“On second thoughts, Isstens, 1 ad
vise you to put away that buckle before
the king comes to inquire after your
knee, ’ ’ he said.
Then he clattered out, singing one of
his own songs
In the shadows 1 was glad to sit alone
and think Could it be that the prin
cess was really out of love with her
sovereign lover! Could it be that she
loved some one without a crown and a
kingdom—loved him beyond a passing
fancy 1 “Poor fool, cadet. ” I whispered,
“you are a fitting youth to enliven the
dull days with, but”— And I laughed
cynically
At that moment a servant entered
with a cote and candles I held the
note unopened until the man left the
room, for the little seal was familiar
Then 1 broke the seal and read
“Bring me my silver buckle to the gar
den tomorrow morning Near the dog
fountain at 10 I will await you in the
company of my ladies 1 think you
have been thoughtless in the wearing cf
it ’
Upon finishing which my courage
and hope fled, and 1 cursed many
things.
Ten minutes before the appointed
hour 1 reached the dog fountain in the
palace garden, having hobbled there on
my crutches During the night a light
covering of snow, the first of the win
ter. tiad fallen The clipped shrubs, the
statuary and the roofs of the buildings
were shrouded in it. but overhead the
sun crawled up the bluest of skies But
my fool hi art was heavy l was lost in
meditations not pleasant when there
came a soft rustling down the arbored
path Turning, I beheld the princess,
in a cloak of red cloth and gray fur.
Hearing me unattended As well as 1
could, with my crutches under my
shoulders, 1 bowed, and upon her reach
ing my side, l very humbly kissed her
hand Then without, speaking. I gave
tier back the silver hat buckle set with
rubies
But instead of bending her head and
looking at the returned trinket, she lift
ed her face and surveyed me with her
gray eyes Her glance was kind, and 1
immediately forgot all the brave vows
I had made to dream no more of the
love of one so far above me
I know that my voice came huskily
and that my eyes pleaded that morn
ing 1 laid bare my heart to the Prin
cess Barbara
And yet she listened with no tinge
of anger nor surprise in her clear eyes,
only love—and pity Upon saying my
last word I turned to hobble away, bat
her voice softly recalled me.
“D Artagan, she said—then, with
her face bowed iu her hands, she sat
upon the steps of the fountain and
wept
The little threads of sunlight through
the cedar branches drew a halo about
her hair, and my heart was rent with
in me so that my voice deserted me in
the anguish of it But presently, going
closer. 1 said
“Princess, it is something only to
have loved like this. and. before God, I
would never have returned to trouble
you had l known the full, sweet story
of it
Then she arose and with trembling
fingers fastened the silver buckle on
my shoulder
“And now," she said, trying brave
ly to smile, “will you promise never to
try to see me again and to leave the
town if I tell you two things?’
For answer I bowed my head and
drove the tears back on to my soul
“First.’ she said. “I will never
marry king ncr prince, nor, God pity
me. any man, and, second, you, Sir
Cadet. I love with my true heart!’
For a bright, bright second her lips
pressed mine, her hair was over my
eyes, and then she sped away down the
arbored path and left me leaning on my
heedless crutches.
I staid in the garden for several
hours, limping np and down the paths
or staring away at the trees of the
park like one dazed by a blow
When Beverley came to have a dish
of tea with me in my room, 1 asked
him to get a leave of absence from the
king and to come with me to Blaten
burg
At first he looked at me in piteous
amazement; then, leaning closer over
the table, be put out his hand on my
shoulder and said that he would come.
With many excuses, hinting at state
trouble and a message from the king.
I bade farewell to the court of Clobnrg.
and, though the ladies in waiting
made great ado. Rufford seemed only
too pleased at my departure
I started on the journey at midday,
a week after onr tryst at the dog foup
tain Tom rode in the coach with me
(my knee forbade the saddle) and a serv
ant rode alongside on Hagart
Poor enough company I made all tht
first day. and Tom respected my si-
U>"ce and spent his time between read-
My tfbee being greatly improved 1
crossed the room and admitted a man
with bis cloak wrapped close about him
His face wss covered, but something
in the width of his shoulders and the
tallness of his figure reminded me of a
former acquaintance After closing the
door behind him be dropped the cioak
from his shoulders and doffed bis hat.
disclosing to my startled gaze my sov
ereign, king of Wassmark
“I have called.” be said, smiling,
“to speak to yon on a matter of private
interest to both of us, and to another
whom it is not necessary to name.”
I stared at the king with challenging
eyes, my heart fluttering and nncer
tain, my mind made np to a just pun
ishment for my impudence in loving
her.
His smile took on its old broadness,
and he sat himself down on the edge of
the bed and motioned .me back to my
chair
“Yon have been a good servant, sir,
and a true fighter. “ he continued, “and
have many times saved your king and
your country much blood without know
ing it Yon will kindly pass me yonr
sword Mine I have forgotten.”
I brought my sword from the corner
of the room He bared the blade and
looked at the war dents
“It is a right fitting sword to knight
a man with, he said, and, requesting
me to kneel, which I did as gracefully
as possible under the circumstances.
/ stared at the king with challenging eyes.
he smote me sharply on the shoulder
and cried. “In the name of God and by
the touch of proved steel I proclaim you
a knight of the Royal Order of Wass
mark ’
“And so honor conies when she is least
wanted. " thought I. and raised his royal
hand to my lips without fervor
“You are not surprisedhe said,
drawing np his red eyebrows.
“Yes. sire. 1 am surprised and hon
ored beyend measure.’ I answered
He pinned the cross of the order on
my breast and then handed me a letter
But before I could open the sheet he
snatched it back, saying, “It is from
the princess, Sir What’s-yonr-name. ”
I flushed crimson and replied “Very
good, yonr r|pjesty I have no desire to
see your private correspondence. "
“Come, come, my good lsstens, I
crave pardon, but iny pride is still
somewhat sore at being crossed in love
by my embassador’s secretary. ’
I said nothing to this.
“But remember, sir.' he continued,
“it touches nothing beyond my pride.'
“And yet the thing remains hopeless,
sire. I am but the cadet And how
does a poor sword weigh against a
crown ?“
“You forget," he said, “that you
were but now made knight of a great
order '
He get ready to go against Bever
ley’s return, and, with his hat on, ask
ed if I was still of the old, adventurous
spirit
1 answered that my sword was al
ways at his service
“Then postpone year visit to lsstens
and stand ready for further word from
me, he said and bade me a friendly
good night
When Beverley came in a little past
midnight. 1 toid him of the change in
my plans and something of what the
king had mentioned, and, last, of my
new honor
“Your king is a true gentleman.’
he exclaimed, “and. by heaven, 1 see
into it a little. "
“And will you share this unknown
adventure with me?' t asked
“1 would to God 1 could. lsstens, but
loyalty to Rntford holds me out of it.’
“What causes you to think that?
The king said nothing of it. ’’ I an
swered
WherCat he but shook his head and
oegan preparations for •'>- rest
ing a book and staring from the win
dow But on the second day, toward
evening, we heard a great rumpus
ahead, and the coach came to a stand
still Tom got ont to see what the mat
ter was. and immediately two pistol
shots rang on the frosty air and past
the window went a man in a red cloak
reeling in his saddle Tom returned,
relating how our former acquaintance
of the mountains had tried to hold ns
np and how a pistol ball somewhere in
the leg had been his only satisfaction
4 fter telling which be coolly returned
to his reading ot the book, the snow
still melting on his boots
We reached Blatenburg in safety
without further adventure Instead of
riding np to the palace we took rooms
and stabling for Hagart at the Cava
lier's Pride, and next morning sent the
coach back to Clobnrg On the night of
the second day, when I was sitting
tlone with Barbara’s hat buckle in my
hand, a low knocking came on my door
- |
[TO UK CONTINTED.]
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Mothers (V.-
Read Th is. L
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•
X.
I Write for the free booklet: “ Merry
Rhymes for Thirsty Times."
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