ly those in authority have."

"Go to the door and see," said Griselda.

So Charlotte went to the door, and lo, there was a messenger from the
king, and the messenger was accompanied by two persons attired in royal
robes.

These companions were Ambition and Death, but they were so splendidly
arrayed you never would have recognized them.

"Does the Lady Griselda abide here?" asked the messenger.

"She does," replied old Charlotte, courtesying very low, for the
brilliant attire of the strangers dazzled her.

"I have a message from the king," said the messenger.

Old Charlotte could hardly believe her ears. A message from the king!
Never before had such an honor befallen one in Griselda's station.

The message besought Griselda to appear in the theatre that night
before the king, who knew of her wondrous voice, but had never heard
it. And with the message came a royal gift of costly jewels, the like
of which Griselda had never set eyes upon.

"You cannot refuse," said Ambition in a seductive voice. "Such an
opportunity never before was accorded you and may never again be
offered. It is the king for whom you are to sing!"

Griselda hesitated and cast a lingering look at her babe.

"Have no fear for the child," said Death, "for I will care for him
while you are gone."

So, between the insinuating advice of Ambition and the fair promises of
Death, Griselda was persuaded, and the messenger bore back to the king
word that Griselda would sing for him that night.

But Ambition and Death remained as guests in Griselda's household.

The child grew restless as the day advanced. From the very moment that
Death had entered the house the little one had seemed very changed, but
Griselda was so busy listening to the flattering speeches of Ambition
that she did not notice the flush on her infant's cheeks and the
feverish rapidity of his breathing.

But Death sat grimly in a corner of the room and never took his eyes
from the crib where the little one lay.

"You shall so please the king with your beautiful face and voice," said
Ambition, "that he will confer wealth and title upon you. You will be
the most famous woman on earth; better than that, your fame shall live
always in history--it shall be eternal!"

And Griselda smiled, for the picture was most pleasing.

"The child's hands are hot," said old Charlotte, the nurse, "and there
seem to be strange tremors in his little body, and he groans as he
tosses from on