ened smilingly, and as the girl concluded she passed her
hand over her auburn curls saying affably:

"Well done, thou pretty lad! I like well the spirit as well as the
delivery of it. Thy Latinity holds much to be commended. And what may be
thy name?"

"Francis Stafford, may it please Your Grace."

"It does please me. Francis? Ah, well do I ken that was the name of thy
father, my lord," and she turned to Lord Stafford.

"You speak aright, Your Highness," answered he.

"Thou shalt come to me anon, thou pretty lad, for I would speak with thee
further," said the queen as she moved away. "Hast thou other children, my
lord?"

"This is mine only one," replied Lord Stafford.

"And was the welcome of your composing?" queried she.

"Nay; I am not so ready with the pen," laughed Stafford. "I am not a
Sidney, my liege. Greville did it. Dost remember him?"

"Assuredly. Where is he? Ah, Greville," as the tutor overwhelmed with
rapture at her notice, threw himself on his knees before her, and seizing
the hand which she graciously extended to him, covered it with kisses.
"Art well?"

"Ah, madam, madam," murmured the old man, "can you ask that when it hath
been so long since I have been in your presence? As well expect the
flower to flourish without the rays of the sun."

"There, flatterer," said the queen tapping him lightly on the shoulder to
Francis' amazement for she expected her to take no notice of such
adulation. "Thou must come to the court oftener, Greville."

Greville arose as she passed on, his face aglow with gratification.

"Child, is she not the most gracious, the most lovely of sovereigns?" he
whispered to Francis.

"Gracious, I grant thee, cousin; but lovely, no. My mother is fairer by
far than she."

"Hark ye, lad," said a courtier who had overheard the girl's words, "a
hint in thine ear: repeat not that speech. Nay; think it not even. It
behooves thee, and me, and all of us to believe that the queen is the
loveliest, the fairest, and the most learned of all women, bar none;
which she is. God bless her!"

"God bless Elizabeth," echoed Greville fervently, but Francis, with a
haughty look at the speaker, turned upon her heel, and entered the hall.

CHAPTER X

THE QUEEN TAKES OFFENSE

The queen at length reached the great hall of the castle, gorgeously hung
with tapestries for her reception, and resounding to the strains of soft
and delicious music. At the upper end of the chamber was a thr