Joan of the Sword Hand

aced along. Johann Pyrmont felt correspondingly awkward. For one thing, the pressure of

she said, with a

had never occurred to him. He had not considered the p

it was not at all of

acrifices. My brother, who is very learned, went to Italy, and they say (though he only laughs when I ask him) worked w

sed; "he won the tournament yesterday, did he not? I saw you give him th

monk and unfledged chorister than of himself. I will introduce you to him

so!" said the secret

rincess h

e said gaily; "I love hi

ed and she was silent and distrait for a little, as they paced through courts and colonnades which to the secretary see

he said presently, rousing

ing that surely it was a long way to the sum

"that you are often in the habit of walking w

others," the secretary

her hand, "and you swore to me even now that you

he secretary, recalled t

tremor lest he should have betrayed hims

men of Plassenburg maids and tirewomen? Small wonder that so few o

overed his presen

ough now I am grown up, comes every night to see that I have al

to see that you have all you want, is old?" persisted t

to have been any younger," replied the se

with such eyes. Strange that I should have liked you from the f

n the arm of the Princess Margaret, who turn

Was it old Bette who taught you thus to take a lady's ar

n blushed an

mon fashion with us. I crave your p

et looked quizzical

a curiosity about foreign customs. Th

he took Johann's slender brown fin

r the sword!" she said, a saying whic

me been relieved, and now followed the pair through the corridors t

nt he stood

lassenburg. Glad am I that he does not know little Lenchen up in the Kaiser Platz. No one of us would

vious ways almost round the entire square of the palace buildings. They passed into a

mistakes. So he let the foreign custom go at what it might be worth, kno

f you come from the Ambassador, you must have matters of importance to speak of. I will rest me here in an arbour and come in later. Then,

ed, but kept his

tep nearer. "I tell you there is not one youth--but no matter. I see that it i

Courtlander nearly discovere

cence-God wot! He will not die of it, but he may be the death of me

you do in your country. There is the Prince my brother's horse at t

t of the youth g

will be gone!" And would hav

Princess, stamping her foot. "Give me your hand.

ands. Then, with his mind still upon the departing Prince, he drew her impulsively towards him,

lance upward at the palace front, he ran in th

nd. A flush of shame, anger, or some other vio

nclouded eyes, the clear innocence of the you

," she mused. Then, after a pause, "I like foreign

nder stood gasping with ast

's acquaintance-nay, less-and he hath kissed the Princess Margaret upon the mouth. And she, instead of shrieking and calling the guard to have the ins