igure of the Maid, from whose white armour the lights of
the great hall flashed back in a hundred points of fire.

The greeting of the master of the house being over, the Maid threw
off for a moment the grave dignity of her bearing throughout this
trying day, and became a simple girl again. With a quick grace of
movement she crossed the space which divided her from the little
child, and kneeling suddenly down, took the wondering little one in
her arms, and held her in a close embrace.

"Ma petite, ma mie, ma tres chere," those nearest heard her murmur.
"Love me, darling, love me! I have a little sister at home who
loves me, but I had to go away and leave her. Perhaps I may never
see her again. Try to love me instead, and comfort my heart, for
sometimes I am very, very weary, and hungry for the love that I
have lost!"

Now, one might have thought that so young a child--for she was not
more than eight years old, and small for her years--would have been
affrighted at the sudden approach of the shining warrior, about
whom so many stories had been told, and who looked more like the
Archangel Michael, as many thought, than a creature of human flesh
and blood. But instead of showing any fear, the child flung her
arms about the neck of the Maid, and pressed kisses upon her
face--her headpiece she had removed at her entrance--and when the
mother would have loosened her hold, and sent the child away with
her attendant, little Charlotte resisted, clinging to her new
friend with all her baby strength, and the Maid looked pleadingly
up into the kindly face of the lady, and said:

"Ah, madame, I pray you let her remain with me. It is so long since
I felt the arms of a child about my neck!"

And so the little one stayed to the banquet, and was given the
place of honour beside the Maid. But neither of these twain had any
relish for the dainty meats and rich dishes served for us. As on
the march, so now in the walls of the city, the Maid fared as
simply as the rudest of her soldiers. She mixed water with her
wine, took little save a slice or two of bread, and though to
please her hosts she just touched one or two specially prepared
dishes, it was without any real relish for them, and she was
evidently glad when she was able to make excuse to leave the table
and go to the room prepared for her.

But here again she showed her simple tastes, for when the great
guest chamber was shown her she shrank a little at its size and
luxury,