The Lady of the Shroud

  FROM THE REPORT OF CRISTOFEROS, SCRIBE OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THELAND OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

  _July_ 8, 1907.

  The meeting of the National Council, July 6, was but a continuation ofthat held before the rescue of the Voivodin Vissarion, the members of theCouncil having been during the intervening night housed in the Castle ofVissarion. When, in the early morning, they met, all were jubilant; forlate at night the fire-signal had flamed up from Ilsin with the glad newsthat the Voivode Peter Vissarion was safe, having been rescued with greatdaring on an aeroplane by his daughter and the Gospodar Rupert, as thepeople call him--Mister Rupert Sent Leger, as he is in his British nameand degree.

  Whilst the Council was sitting, word came that a great peril to the townof Ilsin had been averted. A war-vessel acknowledging to no nationality,and therefore to be deemed a pirate, had threatened to bombard the town;but just before the time fixed for the fulfilment of her threat, she wasshaken to such an extent by some sub-aqueous means that, though sheherself was seemingly uninjured, nothing was left alive on board. Thusthe Lord preserves His own! The consideration of this, as well as theother incident, was postponed until the coming Voivode and the GospodarRupert, together with who were already on their way hither.