rned to distinguish the courtiers. The Gipsy Earl of
Leicester, with his swarthy handsome face; the tall and comely vice
chamberlain, Sir Christopher Hatton; the venerable Burleigh; the trusty
and wily Walsingham; the gay, witty and sarcastic Harrington, godson of
the queen, and the fiery and impetuous Earl of Essex, stepson to
Leicester.

Sometimes a low, broad-shouldered, heavily-built man would appear at
court followed by brawny sailors who bore great chests of gold gathered
from the Spanish Main. Then the court would be filled with the deeds of
Sir Francis Drake, and of the wondrous happenings in that new world which
lay over the sea.

Youth does not examine closely below the surface, and so to the girl all
was bright and beautiful. She herself would have entered into the life
more fully, but that the cloud of the queen's displeasure hung over her.
There is no place where a sense of the august disapprobation makes itself
so quickly felt as a court. And, as the days went by and Elizabeth still
refused to permit her approach, Francis found herself more and more
isolated.

Even the courtiers who had formerly called upon her to perform services
for them now chose other of the pages, while the pages themselves no
longer stopped to chat or gossip with her.

Thus the days went by.

CHAPTER XVI

WHAT CAME OF AN OFFER OF FRIENDSHIP

One thing had puzzled Francis upon her first arrival at the court. That
was the number of those who had red hair. She soon came to know, however,
that most of the ladies wore wigs of false hair over their own tresses
out of compliment to the queen. The demand for hair was therefore great,
and frequently the supply was not equal to it. Divers means were employed
to obtain such locks, as the girl soon found to her sorrow.

"Where art thou from, my pretty page?" asked a lady one day pausing
before her.

"Hampshire, an it please your ladyship," answered Francis grateful for
the attention. She thought the lady must have recently arrived else she
would not stop to bandy words with one who was without the pale of the
queen's good will.

"Hampshire? Ah, yes! I passed through the shire once with Her Majesty on
one of her progresses," remarked she. "My lad, know you that you are a
pretty boy? But certes! of course you do. Nathless, hear it again from
me."

"I thank your ladyship," returned Francis with blushing cheeks. "'Tis
only your kindness that bids you so to speak."

"Hear the