JOAN OF THE SWORD HAND

CONTENTS


CHAP. PAGE
I. THE HALL OF THE GUARD 7
II. THE BAITING OF THE SPARHAWK 14
III. JOAN DRAWS FIRST BLOOD 19
IV. THE COZENING OF THE AMBASSADOR 25
V. JOHANN THE SECRETARY 30
VI. AN AMBASSADOR'S AMBASSADOR 38
VII. H.R.H. THE PRINCESS IMPETUOSITY 47
VIII. JOHANN IN THE SUMMER PALACE 52
IX. THE ROSE GARDEN 59
X. PRINCE WASP 64
XI. THE KISS OF THE PRINCESS MARGARET 70
XII. JOAN FORSWEARS THE SWORD 79
XIII. THE SPARHAWK IN THE TOILS 84
XIV. AT THE HIGH ALTAR 90
XV. WHAT JOAN LEFT BEHIND 99
XVI. PRINCE WASP'S COMPACT 105
XVII. WOMAN'S WILFULNESS 111
XVIII. CAPTAINS BORIS AND JORIAN PROMOTE PEACE 120
XIX. JOAN STANDS WITHIN HER DANGER 126
XX. THE CHIEF CAPTAIN'S TREACHERY 131
XXI. ISLE RUGEN 139
XXII. THE HOUSE ON THE DUNES 144
XXIII. THE FACE THAT LOOKED INTO JOAN'S 150
XXIV. THE SECRET OF THERESA VON LYNAR 156
XXV. BORNE ON THE GREAT WAVE 163
XXVI. THE GIRL BENEATH THE LAMP 169
XXVII. WIFE AND PRIEST 175
XXVIII. THE RED LION FLIES AT KERNSBERG 182
XXIX. THE GREETING OF THE PRINCESS MARGARET 191
XXX. LOVE'S CLEAR EYE 197
XXXI. THE ROYAL MINX 204
XXXII. THE PRINCESS MARGARET IS IN A HURRY 212
XXXIII. A WEDDING WITHOUT A BRIDEGROOM 217
XXXIV. LITTLE JOHANNES RODE 222
XXXV. A PERILOUS HONEYMOON 229
XXXVI. THE BLACK DEATH 236
XXXVII. THE DROPPING OF A CLOAK 245
XXXVIII. THE RETURN OF THE BRIDE 251
XXXIX. PRINCE WASP STINGS 258
XL. THE LOVES OF PRIEST AND WIFE 266
XLI. THERESA KEEPS TROTH 277
XLII. THE WORDLESS MAN TAKES A PRISONER 287
XLIII. TO THE RESCUE 295
XLIV. THE UKRAINE CROSS 301
XLV. THE TRUTH-SPEAKING OF BORIS AND JORIAN 310
XLVI. THE FEAR THAT IS IN LOVE 315
XLVII. THE BROKEN BOND 324
XLVIII. JOAN GOVERNS THE CITY 332
XLIX. THE WOOING OF BORIS AND JORIAN 338
L. THE DIN OF BATTLE 345
LI. THERESA'S TREACHERY 355
LII. THE MARGRAF'S POWDER CHESTS 366
LIII. THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH VISIBLE 380
EPILOGUE OF EXPLICATION 388




CHAPTER I

THE HALL OF THE GUARD


Loud rang the laughter in the hall of the men-at-arms at Castle
Kernsberg. There had come an embassy from the hereditary Princess of
Plassenburg, recently established upon the throne of her ancestors, to
the Duchess Joan of Hohenstein, ruler of that cluster of hill statelets
which is called collectively Masurenland, and which includes, besides
Hohenstein the original Eagle's Eyrie, Kernsberg also, and Marienfield.

Above, in the hall of audience, the ambassador, one Leopold von
Dessauer, a great lord and most learned councillor of state, sat alone
with the young Duchess.