aste to say that I was happy to
have served her in aught. But I would not have her forget my
comrades.

"Ay, they helped you," she said; "I had not forgotten. And I had
the cloak of one of them. Will you thank him for it?"

I said that I would, and added words about Werbode's pleasure in
the loan, and so on. One could not say much with all those eyes on
us, as it were, if I had had much to say. I was glad when the king
took up the talk and asked after the welfare of the lady.

"I have sent men across that heath," he said; "at least they will
see to those who fell of your party. I hope they may bring back
some not much hurt after all. A fall from a horse will not be of
much account after half an hour."

But she shook her head and paled, for, as her father had told me,
his men who had fallen were not mounted. The king saw that the
matter was hard for her to think of, and so turned the talk by
asking how she liked that steed of mine.

"Sire," she said gravely, "when horse and rider first came suddenly
before my eyes, I thought that one of the saints had come to our
help. It was the most welcome sight I have ever seen, and I shall
ever love to look on a horse of that--of those--"

"Patchwork colours," laughed the king.

"Wilfrid, so long as you live you will no more be taken for a saint
than shall I again. Make the most thereof. Of a truth I will even
buy me a skew-bald mount and ride round corners in search of the
like reputation. Nay, sell me yours straightway!"

"No, King Ethelbert," I answered--"not even to yourself after he
has won me that word, and since he has borne so fair a burden."

"Let us go straightway," said Ethelbert. "You will not better that
speech if you bide here for an hour.

"Farewell, mother; and farewell, ladies."

He bowed, and I did my best to leave gracefully, all those who were
present rising again as he went, and returning his bow. The queen
was laughing at him, and I dared to see if the Lady Hilda had a
smile on her face. She had, and it did not pass when she met my
look; but behind the smile was something of the terror of last
evening, which had been brought back to her. It was in my mind as
we passed the door again that if the sight of me and my horse so
wrought on her, it were better that I kept away if I could; and I
would have the beast stabled in the town.

Then said Ethelbert when we were halfway across the garden:

"We shall have the company of that very fair lady to Off