nd us as he is. He shall don
other garb later."

There was nothing left for Francis to do but to follow her as she retired
with the ladies to the apartments which had been allotted to her use. For
the first time the girl was painfully conscious of the incongruousness of
her attire. That the queen might ask her attendance had not occurred to
any of them, and had it done so the affair would have seemed easy of
explanation, but it had been found exceedingly difficult to get a
hearing. She resolved, however, that should occasion present she would
tell all hoping that the queen would pardon the deception, if such it
might be called.

[Illustration: _ELIZABETH EXTENDED HER HAND GRACIOUSLY_]

For some time Elizabeth conversed with her maids, taking no notice of
Francis, but at length she said abruptly,

"Come here, my lad."

Francis approached diffidently, and, unused to the customs of the court,
remained standing.

"Kneel, boy," whispered one of the ladies whom she afterward learned was
the Duchess of Rutland. "Where are thy manners?"

"Thy pardon," murmured Francis in consternation sinking upon one knee. "I
knew not. I----"

"There! 'tis naught." Elizabeth extended her hand graciously, and the
girl retained presence of mind enough to kiss it respectfully. "My good
Rutland, expect not court manners in the midst of a forest. The youth
means well enough, I dare say, and I liked well his words of welcome.
'Tis a pretty lad! His tresses match our own for brightness."

Francis looked up somewhat indignantly. Her locks were of red in truth,
but they were glossy and lustrous becoming golden in the sun, while
Elizabeth's were a dull red and false.

"Oh, no, Your Majesty;" interposed one of the ladies. "The lad's hair is
well enough, but I should as soon think of likening a weed to a rose as
of comparing such lack-lustre locks to your liege's."

"Foolish girl!" chided Elizabeth though a smile played about her lips for
this great queen did not object to the most fulsome flattery. "To speak
such words to me who am an old woman. Now the lad, we dare affirm, doth
not think me so fair as his mother who is, in truth, a beautiful woman.
Speak, boy!" She smiled at Francis as she spoke and rearranged her
draperies coquettishly.

Francis' young nature was filled with scorn for the vanity of the woman
before her, queen though she was. Her mother's face arose before her with
its delicate complexion guiltless of the powder and the r