s by her gorgeous
beauty, and all would be like her, whether or no!" said the King
between great bursts of laughter. Lady Constance' mind was ready and
caught quickly at his words, and she turned to him with a gay laugh
that somewhat veiled her terrible fear and nervousness.

"Indeed, 'tis the fashion to use the cocoanut milk for drinking and
ointment, and the silly wenches of maids doth steal it dreadfully and
I was compelled to hide them."

"But 'twill do thee no good, 'tis not thy nature to be round. Hast
thou seen the young heir? He is a lusty fellow; and 'tis well worth a
journey to the nursery to see him," and he took her hand and raised
her to her feet. "Come, we will go and call upon his lordship."

There was an agonized expression on Constance' face as she was
compelled to move at the King's bidding. Slowly she moved. It
seemed every motion was full of painful effort. All eyes, for some
unaccountable reason, appeared to turn to the train of her dress that
rustled subtlely; even Constance turned to look back and down with
bulging eyes on that silken train, and though she moved ever so
cautiously the bristling folds caught upon the edge of the stool and
turned it over, the cocoanuts, poison bottle and all falling a-sprawl.
The King bent down and picked up the vial, then dropped it quickly,
saying,--

"Odd's fish, the female that did don man's attire and flirt about with
foppish airs is trying to play the hen and has made a nest and gone
to setting on spoiled eggs that will hatch nothing but shades, and
wraiths, and mandrakes!" And he lifted a cocoanut, from which the milk
was oozing out slowly and in a curdled state.

"And who, mistress of the chemist's shop, hath taught thee his art?"

"'Tis a great and awful thing that hath happened; indeed, oh! King, I
knew not the things were under the stool--"

"Then 'twas unfortunate thou shouldst remain seated before thy King;
in this case 'twas condemning." And he turned and cried,--

"Hi! hi! call the guard! Thou shalt go into durance until I have
sifted this dairy business." Before the unfortunate woman could open
her mouth to plead further, the King was gone and two stalwart guards
stood at either side of her, ready to conduct her behind bolts and
bars.

Now the King was inclined to be easy with all his subjects, but when
treason lay so open before him, he was quick to punish. Constance,
being a cousin of the Duke of Ellswold, he put the case before him. On