HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1931-07-30, Page 6PAGE ;SIX
THE SEAFORTFI NEWS.
JOAN
of the
wordHand
By S. R. Crockett
,(Continued from Last 'Week)'
"Do net mind him," said 'Boris. "I
am dictating this report."
"Yes, my lordl" replied the secre-
tary from behind his hand.
"We left our urn; and armour be-
hind us, and went out to make obser-
vatirns in the interestsofyour High-
nesses' armies. Going down through
the woods we saw many wild swine,
exceeding fierce. But having no means
Gf urs: ng these, we ended .them, all
save cne. which inisicrtunately met its
death by fa'eeg against a spear in
the hands of Captain Boris. and an-
other, art s of the mase sex, shot dead
by J rian's pissel which went off by
accident as it was passing,"
"I have a:ready written that your
arm. were ;eft at hoine, according to
your direction," said the secretary,
who was accuetomed to criticise the
composition of diplomatic reports.
"Pihawl" :gree ed Boris, bending
his brow upon such superfluity of vir-
tue; "a little thing like that well never
be noticed. Besides, a man must car-
ry some thing. We had no cannon or
battering rams with us, therefore we
were unarmed—to ail intents and pur-
poses, that is."
The secretary sighed, Verily life (as
Von Orcein averred) must be easy in
Paesenhprg, if such stories would
pass with the Prince. And now it
seemed as if they would,
"We found the soldiers of the Du-
chess Joan waiting at the fords of the
Alla, which is the eastern border of
their province. There were not many
of them, but all good soldiers. The
Cottrtland,ers came on in myriads, with
Muscovites without number, These
last bunted and slew all in their path,
Now the men of Hohenstein are good
to attack, but their fault is that they
art not patient to defend. So it caste
to pass that not long after we arrived
at the fords of the Alla, one Werner
von Orseln, commander of the sold-
iers of the Duchess, ordered that his
sten should attack the Courtlanders
in front. Whereupon they crossed
the ford, when they should have stay-
ed behind their shelter. It was brave-
ly done, but had better have been left
undone.
"Rememhering, however, your or-
ders and our duty, we advanced with
hint, hoping that by some means we
night be able to promote peace.
"This we did, For (wonderful as it
may appear) we convinced no fewer
than ten :Muscovites whom we found
sacking a fa:+nm, and their companian's,
four sutler: of Courtland, that it was
wrong to slay and ravish in a peace-
ful country. In the heat of the argu-
ment Captain Boris received a bullet
through his shoulder which caused us
for a time to cease our appeal and fall
back. The Muscovites, however, made
no attempt to follow us. Our argu-
ments had been sufficient to convince
them of the wickedness of their deed,
We hope to receive your princely ap-
proval of this our action—peace being,
in our opinion, the greatest blessing
which any nation can enjoy, For
without flattery we may say that if
ethers had argued with equal per
suasiveness, the end would have been
happier.
Then being once more behind the
flood dykes of the Alla, Captain Jor-
ian examined the hurt of Captain Eer-
ie which he had received in the peace
negotiations with the Muscovites. It
was but a flesh wound, happily, and
was soon hound up. But the pain of
it acted upon both your envoys as an
additional incentive to put a stop to
the horrors of war.
"So when a company of the infan-
try of Courtland, with whom we had
hitherto had no -opportunity of wrest-
ling persuasively, attacked the fords,
wading as deep as mid-thigh, we todk
upon us to rebuke them foe their for-
wardness. And accordingly they de-
sisted, some retreating to the further
shore, while others, finding the water
pleasant, remained, andfloated peace-
fully down with the current.
"This also, in some measure, made
for -peace, and we humbly :hope for the
further approval of your Highnesses,
lakxinv:,eM•u+•
when you have ren larked our careful
observance of all your instructions.
"If only we had had with us our
several companies of the Regiment of
Karl the :tiller's Son to aid us in the
discussion, more Cossacks and Streets
might have been convinced, and the
final result been different. Neverthe-
less, we did what we could, and Were
successful with many beyond our
hopes.
"Bvt the men of Hohenstein being
so few, and those of Courtland with
their allies so many, the river was
overpaseed both above and below the
fords. Whereupon I pressed it upon
Werner von Orseln that he should re-
treat to a place of greater hope and:
safety, being thus in danger on bath
flanks.
"Far your envoys have a respect
for Werner von Orseln, though we
grieve to report that, being a man of
war from his youth up, he does not
display that desire for peace •which
your good counsels have so deeply
implanted in our breasts, and which
alone animates the 'hearts of Boris and
Jorian, captains inthe princely guard
of Plassenhurg,"
"Put that in, till I have time to
think what is to cone next!" said
Boris, waving his hand to the secre-
tary. "We are doing pretty well, I
think!" he added, turning to. his com-
panion with all the self-conscious
pride of an amateur in words,
"Let us now tell more about Von
Orseln, and how he would in no wise
listen to usl" suggested Jorian. "But
let us not mix the mead too strong
Our Hugo is shrewd!"
"This \Verner von Orseln (be it
known to your High Graciousness)
was the chief obstacle in the way of
our making peace—except, perhaps,
those Muscovites with whom we were
unable to argue, having no opportun-
ity. This 'Werner had fought are the
day, and 'though most recklessly ex-
posing himself, was still unhurt. His
armour was covered with blood and
black with powder after the fashion.
of these wild hot -'bloods. His face
also was stained, and when he spoke
it was in a hoarse Whisper, The mat-
ter of his discourse to us was this:—
" 'I can do no more. My people
are dead, my powder spent.. They are
more numerous than the sea -sands,
They are behind us and before, also
out-flatet ing us on either side.'
"Then we advised him to set his
face to Hodmenstein and with those
who were Left to him to. .retreat in that
direction. '%Vo accompanied him,
bearing in mind your royal commands,
and eager to do all that in us Say to
advance the interests of amity. The
enemy fetched a compass to close us
in on every side.
"Wihereupon we argued with them.
again to the hest of our ability. •There
ensued some Alight noise and confu-
sion, so that Captain Boris forgot his
wound, and Captain forian admits
that in his haste he may have spoken
uncivilly to several Bor-Russiangen-
try w,ho thrust themselves in his way.
And forthisunseemly conduct he
craves the pardon of their Highnesses'
.i.Iugo and 'He'lene, his 'beloved master
and mistress. Illowover, as no cont
1
ut has as b
ccs
received- erved
front
the
enemy's headquarters, no breach of
friendly relations may be apprehend-
ed Captain Boris is of opinion that
the Muscovite boors did not under
stand Captain Jori:an's Teuton lang-
uage. At least they were not obser-
ved ved to resent his words.
"In this manner were the invaders
Of 'Hohenstein broken through, and
the-remtmaond of the soldiers of the
Dudhess Joan reached Kernsberg in
safety—a result which, we flatter our
selves, .Was ats much due to the zeal
and amicable persuasiveness of your
envoys as to the skill and bravery of
Werner von Orseln and the soldiers
of the Duchess.
"And your humibleservants will t
ever pray for the speedy triumph of
peace .and' 'concord, and also for an
undisturbed reign bo your Highnesses:
through countless years. it -n token
whereof we append our signatures and
seals. IBdris, Dornan."
'Is not that last somewhat. over-' natter we cannot mention ;elsewhere,"
strained about peace and conc,ord'an'd said Maurice von Lynar
so ,forth?" asked Dorian anxiously.
'Not a whit—net a whit!" cried
Bovis, who, havilig finished his c
osition, was wholly satisfied with 1
self, after the manner -of the blegit
in' Letters.
"Our desire to promote peace n
to be put strongly, in order to c
persuasion to their Highnesses
Plassenlbung, In 'fact I ani not
;hat it has been put strongly eno
"I ant troubled with some
doubtmyself!" a
s si d Dorian under
breath,
And as the secretary jerked the
rom his pen he ensiled,
ICHAP,TER XIX.
Joan Stands •\Vitltiet Her' Dance
So soon as Werner von Orsett
urned to Castle Kernsberg with it
of the forcing of the Alla and
vemvlrelhning numbers of the M
ovine hordes, the sad -eyed. Duel
f Holtensttein became once more J
of the Sword Hand.
Hitherto she 'had doubted atmd f
d, But now the thought of Pri
Vast) and Itis Muscovite save
teadied ;her, and she was ,here
here, in every bastion of the Ca
ooking especially to the gates we
ommanded the roads to Court]
nd ' P'lassenbung.
Her: one thought was, "Will he
here?"
Aird again she saw the knight of
shite plume storm through the 1
f Courtland, and the enemy go do
efore hint, LAh, if only—1
The invading army must have lit
ered thirty thousand, at least. Th
.ere, ale told, about two thous
pears in, Kernsiberg. Von Ors
d eed, could easilyhave raised m
ay, they would have conte in
eneselves by hundreds to fight
eir Duchess, but the nettle bill to
ould not feed more. Yet Joan i
of discouraged, She jot ed w
eter Balta upon the louts of Cou
nders taking the Castle wh
eery the Lion had fortified. T
ourtlan'ders, indeedtHad not Sasit
smelted Kernsberg in vain, and et
e great Margr'af George threaten
'Yet Still it remained a virgin 1
ess, looking out over the fertile a
pulous plain. ,(But now what w
t of the shepherds had fled to t
ep-basomed mountains with th
cks. The cattle were hidden in t
ckest woods; only the white far
uses remained tenantless, silen'
iting the coning of the invad
d stripped for corneae Cu;
rnsberg'loo'ked out towards the i
der, the rolling plain in front of
d behind the grunt intricate h
entry of Hohenstein.
Veen Wermer von Orseln and P
Balta met the invader at the for
the Alia, Maurice von Lynar a
Pikker had remained with Joe
neatly to assist her disposition
really to forst a check upon t
petuosity of her temper.
Now Von Orseln was 'hack agai
e fords of the Alla were force
the fighting strength. of Kern
g urrted itself in the Eagle's Ne
make its final stand.
•loft on the highest ramparts the
s a terrace walk which the Spa
k much affected, especially whe
was on guard at night. 7t Tooke
-arils the east, and from it the fir
mpse of the Courrlanders would b
ained.
n the great hall of the guard the
e drinking their nightly toast. Th
sting night have been -heard i
it, where at street corners weer
ups of youths exercising .late wit
oden spears and noetic armou
ing "Hurrah, Kernsberg]"
hey changed it, however, in intitee
of their Netters in the Castle ab
Joan of the Sword Handl Bach!"
he shout went far into the ni'glt
ain and yet again it was repeate
n about thecrowded board in th
'of the 'sten-at-arms and from th
omy streets beneath.
hen all was over, the Sparhaw'
, belted his sword a hole or to
ter, set a steel cap without a visa
n ,his head, glanced at Werner we
els, and withdrew, leeviat;g the ot'h
captains to their free -running jes
laughter. ter.
Ft Captain; i t Boris p arts of
Plas
meg was telling a story with
itettattce more thian ondivaril
ve and earnest, while the tabl
Id rang with contagious Wirth.
he Sparhawk found the high ter
of the Lion Tower guarded by,
ry. Hien he removed to the foo
he turret -stair, with orders to per
no one save Werner von Oreel,
ass an any pretext.
resently the chief captain's Step
heard on the stone turnpike.
Ha, Sparhawk," he cried, "the
old cheer 1 Why could we no
talked konefartahly in hall, with
Baker of nmeada•tone sel'bew "
he -enemy are not in sight," said
1Slparhawk glo:oinrily.
Web, that is had luck ;sai;d Wee -
"but de not be afraid, you will
y.our chance yet—indeed, all you
t and a little over—is? the 'way of
rg !Muscovites."
;wanted ,to speak ,with you ort a
The chief captainstopped;' in
stride, termer his cloak about hiaat, r
ed his thigh on a square Ilsatrtlene
and resigned -Herself.
Web,' he said, "youth• has e
yeasty,btais s, Co on.
"I would speak of my lady!" s
the yott'th.
"Sc, world most mooncalves oif y
age!" growled Werner;" "hut they
not usually being their coin meted
officers up to the housetops to do
"I mean our lady, the .Duch
Joan1".
`"Alt," said Werner, with the pe.
fliage gone otvt:of his tone, "that is
together anther natter!"
Aied the two mien -were silent ee
minute, both, looking :out into
blackness where no stars shone or
light ewinkled beyond the walk of
little fortified hill bows.
At 'last Maurice von I, year spot
"How long can we hold' out if't
besei.ge ,us?"
"TWO months, certainly—with 1
three!"
"And Then?"'
Werner von 'Orseln shrugged
shoulders, but only said, "A sold
never anticipates disaster!"
"And what of the Duchess Joan
Persisted the young man.
"Why, in the same space of ti
she will be dead or wed!" said V
Orseln, with an affectation of carele
ness easily seen through
The young man burst out, 'SD
she may be! 'I know she will rte
be wife to that Courtland 'Deatl
head. I haw it in ;her eyes that day
their cathedral, when ,she bade
Slip out and bring up our four h
dyed lances ,of Kernsberg."
°'Like enough," said Werner sho
ly. "I, ,for .one, set no hounds to a
woman's likings or mislikings1"
"We must get her away to a pla
of safety," said the young maty.
Von 'Orslen laughed.
"Get her? Who would persuade
compel our ,lady Whither would 's
go? 'W'ould she be safer there th
here? Would the Courtlatder not fi
out in 'twenty-four hours that the
was no Jean of the Sword Hand
Kernsberg, and follow on her tra
And lastly—question most pertine
of ail -what had you to drink dot
there in had, young fellow?"
The 'Sparhawk did not notice b
last question, nor did he reply in
similar 'jeering tone.
"We must persuade her—captu
her, compel her, if necessary. Kern'
berg 'cannot for 'long hold out again
both the Muscovite and the Cour
lander, Salve good Jorian and Bori
who ,will lie manfully about ;the
fighting, there is no help for us i
mortal man. 'So this is what we mu
do to save our lady!"
"What? Capture 'Joan of the 'Swor
Hanel and carry her off? The ntea
buzzes in the 'boy's head, He grow
dotty with anxiety and too much han
ale, lWarc, Maurice — these battle
stents are not over high. T will .reliev
you, Tadd Co to bed and sleep it off!
I"'Vont tOr'seln," said the youth, twit
sim'pl:e earnesltness, not heeding
taunts, '+I have thought deeply. 7 se
no way out of it but this. Our lad
will eagerly go on reconnaissance i
you represent it as necessary. Yo
must take ten ;good men and rid
north, far north, even to the edges o
thelBalbic, to a place I know of, whicl
none but •I and one other can find
There, with a few trusty fellows t
guard her, site will be safe till th
push of the tines is over,"
The chief captain, was silent. "H
had wholly dropped his jeering moot
"There is nothing else that I ca;
see for it," the young Dane went on
finding that Werner did not speak
"Our Joan will never go to Courtlatt
alive. She will not he carried off or
Prince Louis' saddle -bow, as a Cos
sack might carry off. a Oircassiat
slave!"
"But how," said Von Orseln, tnedi
taking, "will you prevent her absenc
being known? Tike passage .of so Meg
a party .may easily be traced and re
Membered. Though otir folk are tru
enough and loyal :enough, sooner o
later what is known in the :Castle i
known in the town, and what is known
in the h town
becomes known to th
enemy]
'Maurice von Lynar leaned forward
towards -his . chief captain an•d whir
pared a few words in his ear.
"Ahl" he said, and nodded. Then
after a pause for thought,. he added
"That is none so 111 thought on for
a
beardless younker 1 I wild think it
over, sleep on it, and tell you my op-
inion to -near -ravel"
The youth tramped to and fro of
the terrace, muttering to himself:
"'Good-nti;gh't, S:parhawk! said Von
Grain, from the top of the corkscrew
stair, as he prepared to descend; "go
to bed. I will send Alt Pikkee.. to
command the house.guard to -night.
Do you get straitg•'hlt+way befween the
sheets as soon as maybe. ;I.f this nomad
scheme conies off you well -deed your
beauty -sleep With a venge'ancel So
take it now!" • .
ft
"A't 'any rate," the chief ' ca,ptaiim
growled to himself, "yon have set a
pretty part for me. I may forthw•itlt
order Amy shroud. 1 -shall never be
able to 'face my lady again!"
OHIAIPTER XX
The Chief Captain's Treachery
The Duch'ees Joan 'was int high
spirits. It had been judged neces-
sary, in consultation with her chief
officers, to ride a reconnaissance int
person in order to ascertain, whether
the advancing enemy had cart Kerns-
berg off towards the north. On this
nvistter Von Orseiit thought that her
ell
ghness had better judge for her-
self. Here at last was something def-
inite to be done, It was almost like
the old foraying days, but, noiw-int a
store desperate. caus.e.•.
Teti days ;before, Joan's ,maidens an
her aged nurs-e had. been 'sent ''fo
safety into Piassottbur.g, tinder esco'
of Captaitts`!Bori's ,and Jorian as far a
the frontier—who had, ,;however, re
turned in time to accompany the; party
of observation on their ride north-
ward.
No one in all Castle Kernsberg was
to know of the departure of this cav-
alcade. Shortly before midnight the
horses were to be :ready uttd:er the.
Castle wall. The 'Sparhawlc was ap-
pointed to contmanid the town during
Von Qrseltt's absence. Ten mer, only
were to go, and these picked and sift-
ed riders—chosen because of their
powers of silence—and because, being.
unmarried, they had no wives to worst'
secrets out of theist, Sweethearts they
might have, 'but 'then, in 'Kernsberg at
least, that is a •very different 'thing.
Filially, having written to their
princely master in'Plassenlburg, that
they were 'leaving on account o.f the
war—inwhich, as envoys extraordin-
ary, they did not desire to be further;
mixed up --Captains Boris and Jarian
made them ready to accompany the
reconnaissance. It proved to be a
dark and desperate night of storm and
rain: The stars were ever and anon
concealed by the thick pall of cloud
which the wind from the south drove
burbling athwart them. Joan herself
was in the highest spirits, She wore
a long blue cloak, which completely
concealed the firstly knit slender fig-
ure, clad in forester's dress, from .pry-
ing eyes.
As for Werner von Orseln, that
high captain was calm and grave as
usual, but the rest of the ten men
were plainly nervous, as they fingered
their bridle -reins and avoided looking
at each other while they waited in
readiness to nrotnit.
With a clatter of hoofs they were
off, none in the Castle 'knowing more
than .that Werner.the chief captain
rode out on his occasions. A towns:-
man
owns-man or two 'huddled closer among his
blankets as the clatter and jingle of
the horses mingled with the sharp
volleying of the rain upon 'his wind
beaten lattice, while the long whop of.
the wind sang of trou:blous time in
the twisted chimney's overhead.
J'oatt, as the historian has already
said, .was in high spirits. '
"Werner," she cried, as soon as they
were ;clear of the town, "if we strike'
the enemy to -night, I declare we will
draw sword and aide 'through then."
"If we strike them to -night, right
so, my lady!" returned (Werner
promptly.
But lie had the 'best of reasons for
knowing that they would not strike
any enemy that night. His last spy
from the north had arrived not half
anhour before they Started, having
ridden completely round the enemy's
host,
d
(To Be Continued)
D. H. McInnes
Chiropractor
Of Wingham, will be at the
Commercial Hotel, Seaforth
Monday, Wednesday and
Friday Afternoons
Diseases of all kinds success-
fully treated.
Electricity used.
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1931:.
PROOFESSIONIA'L CARD;
Medical
DR. H. ITUtGIH IbOSIS, Physic -ewe
and Surgeon. Late of London Ease
pital, London, England. Sgecf'ag
attention to diseases of the eye, to
nose and Uhroat. Office and sessile,
deuce behind Dominion Bank. Geste
Phone No, 5; Residence Phone' 1,
DR. F; J. B,UIRIROIWS, Seaararee,
Office and residence, Goderich stctse
east of the United Church. Cozener
for the County of Iluron, Telephaaser
No. 46.
DR. C; MIA;OKIAY.-C Mace:age
honor graduate of : Trinity University
and gold medallist of Trinity leforee'd1:
College; member of the College eee
Physicians and Surgeons of On teresu
DR. F. J. R, I1'O'RSTER—,Eye, Imo'
Nose and Throat. Graduate in kie5l -
cine, University of Toronto 'l
Late Assistant New York Opfil•-
mic and Aural Institute, MooregeekBe
Eye, and Golden Square throat beetee
tats, London; England. At Com
ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Moven- Le
each month, from 11 a.m. to paw.
No visit in August.
DR. W. C. SII'iROAT—Gradeete of
Faculty of Medicine, Univerei, '
Western Ontario, London. lfearfces
of College of Physicians and Sae:-
geons of Ontario, Office in re= t
Aberhart's drug store, Segura.
Phone 90. 'Hours 1.30-4 p.tty; ?b1
-9 p.m. Other hours by eppoiafaarattt..
Dental
tDIR. J. A. MUN'N, Successor ern
Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of Mortis-
western
y tire -western University, Chicago, In Lie
centiate Royal College of Dental gtra-
geons, Toronto, Office ova- SEW'
hardware, Main St., Seafort"e Pinson
151. -
DR. F. J. BiECHEDY, catenate
Royal College of Dental Siargeeree,
Toronto, Office over W. R. -Swee %
grocery, Main' St,, Seaforth. Pbctess,
office 185W, residence 1853.
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