nhappy man in your kingdom, while now I am the happiest and most
enviable."

The queen made no answer, but she put both her arms around the animal's
neck and kissed him.

"Henceforth," said she, "then I will ride only Hector, and when he is
old and unfit for service--"

"He shall be tended and cared for in the stud of Countess Catharine
Seymour!" interrupted Thomas Seymour, as he held the queen's stirrup and
assisted her into the saddle.

The two rode in silence toward the sound of the voices and horns, both
too much occupied by their own thoughts to interrupt them by trifling
words.

"He loves me!" thought Catharine. "I am a happy, enviable woman, for
Thomas Seymour loves me."

"She loves me!" thought he, with a proud, triumphant smile. "I shall,
therefore, one day become Regent of England."

Just then they came out on the large level meadow, through which they
had previously ridden, and over which now came, scattered here and there
in motley confusion, the entire royal suite, Princess Elizabeth at the
head.

"One thing more!" whispered Catharine. "If you ever need a messenger to
me, apply to John Heywood. He is a friend whom we can trust."

And she sprang forward to meet the princess, to recount to her all the
particulars of her adventure, and her happy rescue by the master of
horse.

Elizabeth, however, listened to her with glowing looks and thoughts
distracted, and as the queen then turned to the rest of her suite, and,
surrounded by her ladies and lords, received their congratulations, a
slight sign from the princess called Thomas Seymour to her side.

She allowed her horse to curvet some paces forward, by which she and the
earl found themselves separated a little from the rest, and were sure of
being overheard by no one.

"My lord," said she, in a vehement, almost threatening voice, "you have
often and in vain besought me to grant you an interview. I have denied
you. You intimated that you had many things to say to me, for which we
must be alone, and which must reach no listener's ear. Well, now, to-day
I grant you an interview, and I am at last inclined to listen to you."

She paused and waited for a reply. But the earl remained silent. He only
made a deep and respectful bow, bending to the very neck of his horse.
"Well and good; I will go to this rendezvous were it but to blind
Elizabeth's eyes, that she may not see what she never ought to see. That
was all."

The young princess cast on him an