fe
to release the wrists. "I will show you. I was thinking how it might
cause amusement to us to ride into the City and see what the goldsmiths
have in their booths. And then I came in here and found you in need of
goldsmiths' mending! Does not that look like a sign that my thought is
good?"

Elfgiva threw aside the candle to come close and lay her hands upon the
girl's breast. "Good for what?" she demanded. "Do you think it likely
that I might fall in with the King somewhere in the City?"

This was going a bit faster than Randalin had planned, and her breath
came quickly, but she took the risk and admitted it. "I did hope that it
might happen that we would see the King," she said, "and--what is more
important to us--that the King might see you."

Slowly, the King's wife went back to her seat before the mirror, and sat
there fingering and turning the jewelled rouge-pots in a deep study.

"Deliver me your opinion of this, Teboen?" she said, at last, to the big
raw-boned British woman who was her nurse and also the female majordomo
of her household.

Teboen was enough mistress of the magic art to give anything like an
omen its due weight,--and perhaps she was also human enough to be
weary of a fortnight's imprisonment with a porcupine. After becoming
deliberation, she replied that she thought rather favorably of the plan,
that certainly it could do no harm, since a visit to the booths had
never been forbidden to them, while it would be almost as sure to do
good if the King could be reminded of how beautiful a woman he was
neglecting.

Elfgiva's laughter was like returning sunshine. "How! You say so? Then
will we make ready without delay! Leonorine, come hither and finish
clothing me,--Dearwyn would shake too much. Lay aside your whimpering,
child; the scourging is forgiven you. Tata, I could find it in my mind
to scold you for not thinking of this before. You must mouth the order
for the horses, though," she added as an afterthought. "I should expect
it would be told me that I am a prisoner, whereat I should weep for
rage."

Another flash of daring lighted Randalin's eyes, though her mouth
remained quiet. "A good way to keep them from thinking you a prisoner,
lady, is to act like a free woman," she said. "I shall tell them that
you are going to the Palace to see your husband." Sowing her seed, she
left it to take root, and went away to convince the head of the grooms.

As she had foretold, he was too uncertain r