exclaimed he, 'but--but--I am not yet twenty, and you--why,
you must be a hundred at least! Oh, no, it is quite impossible.'

He spoke without thinking, but the flash of anger which darted from her
eyes made him feel uncomfortable. However, all she said was:

'As you like; since you reject me, let the crows have you,' and hurried
away down the street.

* * * * *

Left to himself, the full horror of his coming death rushed upon the
young man, and he understood that he had thrown away his sole chance of
life. Well, if he must, he must, he said to himself, and began to run as
fast as he could after the old crone, who by this time could scarcely be
seen, even in the moonlight. Who would have believed a woman past ninety
could walk with such speed? It seemed more like flying! But at length,
breathless and exhausted, he reached her side, and gasped out:

'Madam, pardon me for my hasty words just now; I was wrong, and will
thankfully accept the offer you made me.'

'Ah, I thought you would come to your senses,' answered she, in rather
an odd voice. 'We have no time to lose--follow me at once,' and they
went on silently and swiftly till they stopped at the door of a small
house in which the priest lived. Before him the old woman bade the
prisoner swear that she should be his wife, and this he did in the
presence of witnesses. Then, begging the priest and the guards to leave
them alone for a little, she told the young man what he was to do, when
the next morning he was brought before the king and the judges.

* * * * *

The hall was full to overflowing when the prisoner entered it, and all
marvelled at the brightness of his face. The king inquired if he had any
excuse to plead for the high treason he had committed by striking the
heir to the throne, and, if so, to be quick in setting it forth. With a
low bow the youth made answer in a clear voice:

'O my lord and gracious king, and you, nobles and wise men of the land,
I leave my cause without fear in your hands, knowing that you will
listen and judge rightly, and that you will suffer me to speak to the
end, before you give judgment.

'For four years, you, O king, had been married to the queen and yet had
no children, which grieved you greatly. The queen saw this, and likewise
that your love was going from her, and thought night and day of some
plan that might put an end to this evil. At length, when you wer