VON ZILDORF'S HEIRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 135, 9 June 1898, Page 10

VON ZILDORF'S HEIRESS.

U ROMANCE OP THE TYROL IN THj

TIME OF THE GfiUSADES.

BY SYLVANUS COBB, Jr., Author of ' The Guumalier of Moscow 'The Oakland Mystery,' etc.

CHAPTER XVIII (Continued)

The Baron stepped aside and stol for a little time apart with his he:| bent upon his hands. When he ne looked up he was calm and collecte] with a wondrous dignity upon h grand face. He sent for Ravendoj and bade him to call the men of t| castle tog-ether and lead them to tins quarters, there to remain. But if I should be found that the soldiers ai| the castle troop could pleasantly frl ternize, then, in heaven's name, 1| them come together and make frienil and be merry. The Rittmeister pr| mised that he would do what l| should find to be most judicious. Then the Baron went into the keep and into the great old hall of audieiu c and banquet. It was a large apartment with high, vaulted roof, supported by two rows of gran he columns; and, as the place was often used now on festive occasions, it was in good condition and well furnished. The Baron and his son entered the apartment together, and very quickly the Baroness and Aurora, with Lizette following, joined them there. ■Oh, my husband! Conrad! What will they do?' 'Why, iy they can be allowed, the Burgomaster and my gallant cousin will marry this sweet girl to young Ton Brenda and share two million ducats between them. That is what they have planned. That is the only condition on which Ah! here they come! Hildegarde! Aurora! take places behind "me. And you. Lizette, keep you there and. keep quiet!'

Then he turned a flashing eye upon •those who had just entered. They were the Burg-omaster yon Brenda, who came in advance; directly behind hiiri, but slightly upon one side, was Conrad Vanderwert; and upon Yanderwert's left hand was Jasper yon Brenda. Colonel Kosendorf followed after, but came lo the front, and with him were two or three of his principal officers.

For a few minutes'silert'ce reigned in that old wassail hall. The Burgomaster was the first to speak. He advanced a step and cleared his throat. •Proud Baron! Audacious robber! Breaker of our laws! Thou art conquered! "\Ye hold thee at our mercy! And we now demand of thee that thou slmlt deliver up to us the fair maiden whom thou didst tear away from our home! I behold her even now behind thee. I bid her to come forth —Aurora! Bright and beautiful lady, 1 implore thee come forth! Come to thy father's arms, and return with him to his mourning-, weeping-, grief-stricken home! Wilt thou —oh, wilt thou come.?'

At that juncture a man of the Colonel's stall: came in and touched his chief on the shoulder. The latter turned and listened to a few quickly spoken words, and then started to go out The-Burgomaster saw the movement and at once interfered.

'What, now, Colonel? You will not leave v!?'

'But jor a little while, mem herr. I will quickly return.' And with that he hurried'out in company with the messenger. And now the superintendant came to the front. His face betrayed deep wrath, but he tried to speak kindly:.

•Aurora, oh, my child! Will you not come home to your heart-broken mother? These wicked people shall detain you no longer.' Aurora felt that she ought to come to the Baron's side and to his support. Why it was she knew not, but at that moment her soul was filled with loathing for the man who called her daughter. She could read his sordid, selfish purpose, and when she saw the gloating look of the grasping Burgomaster and the eager,wolfish glare oi Jasper, she felt her spirit in arms and felt strong. She came to a place by the Baron's side and returned her father's gaze with firmness and decision.

'Father, did you not receive from me the letter wherein I informed you that I had chosen to remain here with my good and loving cousins? Did you not read in that that I wished to remain here in peace and quietness? Oh, why could you not have granted my prayer and'left me to myself? I do not wish to return with you. I prefer to remain where I am. Will you' accept that for my answer and leave me in peace?' 'Undutiful, unnatural child!' the parent cried, white with rage and quivering at every joint. 'Must I take you to your home by force? AVill nota sense of shame, if not of duty, lead you to listen to me?' ,'Of shame?' repeated the maiden, her golden eyes fairly blazing. 'Of shame, say you? And wherefore a sense of shame?'

•Oh! Thou brazen-face! Thy cousin Otho's look at this moment tells me that he knows what I —'

'Stop! Bethink thyself, my son.' The youth had started to leap forward upon the insulting speaker with his drawn sword in his hand, and none could have told what. . might have been the superintendent's fate if the Baron had not fortunately caught the boy in season. 'Insult not thy blade with his craven blood! Hadst thou gone to tweak his ugly nose, as thou didst promise, I had not stopped thee!' ;Oh, let me go now! Let me go!' 'No Ah! whom have Aye here?'

At that juncture Colonel Itosendorf had returned to the hall, followed by a man at a little distance behind him. The Baron had seen the whole party, but not so the superintendent. The latter caught sight of the commander of his assisting military force at the moment when the Baron had stayed the hand of his impetuous son, and quickly and eagerly grasping the officer by the arm, he exclaimed, in mingled rage, fear and supplication, meaning, evidently, to give show of authority:

MX~- - ■ ■- ou_ij__„ X———— T c i" i" | n i i! r i '• ! c . f : r j -I c I I ;1 c c !>' c eucd my ciauy „... s on a former occasion!' The Baron and Aurora had caught the superintendent's words together, and at, the same moment the newcomer, who had been whispering with a woman that followed, turned hijs face toward them. No wig, no beard, no brown skin now, but the bright blue eyes and the silken, flaxen hair were in harmony.

She could not help it. She moved before she thought. In him she saw the one being- of all the world who could save her —in whom she had faith and trust and firm reliance, and. with a low, delirious cry of joy, she sprang' forward to his arms.

'Oh! my own. You can save me from my father. Tell me that yiju will! Oh! Feodor —he frighten!} me! Oh! let. him have my money, but not myself!'

'Hush! ' You are safe, dear one! The hour of your deli vera nee is eouie! Hold up your head and be surprised at nothing you may hear or see.' Both the Baroness and Otho had started forward at. the same moment —the one to grasp the maiden, the other to confront the strange intruder. They had waited for Aurora to raise her head from the stranger's bosom, where it rested while lie spoke to her, and as she did so the eyes of the knight and Otho met. The latter had a terrific oath upon his lips, with his hand upon the hilt of his sword. But before he had spoken the one or drawn the other, he met a smile upon the. strange face that disarmed him, as if by a touch of magic! What did it mean? A moment before he had thirsted for the man's blood, and now he could have taken him to his bosom as a trusty friend! What did it mean?

The knight caught the answering light upon the youth's face and quickly led the maiden forward and g-ave to him her hand, saying as he did so:

'Take her, Otho. and conduct her to your mother. I shall come t'other' presently, when I am sure you will yield her back to me. But it shall be as you will. So lay not up a thought of wrath.' Aurora, wonderingly, yet. trusting in lier lover, gave her hand to Otho, and in another moment the astonished Baroness was with them, demanding of the girl who that man was. '.My child, T know him! I have surely seen him somewhere, but; I cannot call him to mind. Tell me Ah! who is this?'

(To be Continued.)