he sent in his name as Sir Cuthbert of Evesham, a
knight of King Richard, he was conducted to the presence of the duke and
of his wife, the sister of King Richard.

"Are you bearer of news of my brother Richard?" the duke said, advancing
a step to meet the young knight as he entered the hall.

"Alas! my lord duke, I am not," Cuthbert said; "but had hoped to gain
tidings from you."

"From me?" the duke said in surprise. "What should lead you to believe
that I have any news of King Richard later than that which others have
received? The last I heard of him was upon the day of his departure from
the Holy Land, before the storm arose which scattered his fleet, and I
am ignorant whether he has foundered at sea, or whether, as some
suppose, his vessel may have been taken captive by the Moors."

"I bear you later tidings," Cuthbert said, "than those you have
received. I was on board the ship with King Richard. We were wrecked
upon the Island of Corfu and there hiring a small ship, we proceeded to
Zara. King Richard determined to make his way across the Tyrol to this
place; but he thought that it would attract attention to him were he
accompanied by so large a party. Therefore he, with Sir Baldwin of
Bethune, and a few followers, started north, while I with my men kept
west through the north of Italy, and then crossed by the pass over
Trent."

"How long is it since you left my brother?" the duchess asked anxiously.

"It is now over a month since I bade him adieu," Cuthbert answered.

"Then he should have been heard of long since," the duchess said. "What
fate can have befallen him?"

"Judging from my own experience," Cuthbert said, "I fear that he may
have come to harm at the hands of the friends of Conrad of Montferat,
who falsely allege that the death of their kinsman was caused by King
Richard. The Archduke John, too, owes him no good-will; and even the
emperor is evilly disposed toward him. The king traveled under an
assumed name; but it might well be that he would be recognized upon the
way. His face was known to all who fought in the East; and his lordly
manner and majestic stature could ill be concealed beneath a merchant's
garb. Still, lady, as I have been so long in making my way across, it
may be that King Richard has been similarly delayed without danger
befalling him, and it could hardly be that so important a man as the
King of England would be detained, or come to any misfortune, without
the news being b