not move. A gloom that swarmed
with shadows, wallowed in the palace; the servants shivered and shook,
but dared not leave it because of the beasts of the Little Ones; all
night long the princess sat motionless: she must see her beauty again!
she must try again to think! But courage and will had grown weary of
her, and would dwell with her no more!

In the morning we chose twelve of the tallest and bravest of the boys
to go with us to the palace. We rode our great horses, and they small
horses and elephants.

The princess sat waiting the sun to give her the joy of her own
presence. The tide of the light was creeping up the shore of the sky,
but until the sun stood overhead, not a ray could enter the black hall.

He rose to our eyes, and swiftly ascended. As we climbed the steep way
to the palace, he climbed the dome of its great hall. He looked in at
the eye of it--and with sudden radiance the princess flashed upon her
own sight. But she sprang to her feet with a cry of despair: alas her
whiteness! the spot covered half her side, and was black as the marble
around her! She clutched her robe, and fell back in her chair. The
Shadow glided out, and she saw him go.

We found the gate open as usual, passed through the paved grove up to
the palace door, and entered the vestibule. There in her cage lay the
spotted leopardess, apparently asleep or lifeless. The Little Ones
paused a moment to look at her. She leaped up rampant against the cage.
The horses reared and plunged; the elephants retreated a step. The
next instant she fell supine, writhed in quivering spasms, and lay
motionless. We rode into the great hall.

The princess yet leaned back in her chair in the shaft of sunlight, when
from the stones of the court came to her ears the noise of the horses'
hoofs. She started, listened, and shook: never had such sound been
heard in her palace! She pressed her hand to her side, and gasped. The
trampling came nearer and nearer; it entered the hall itself; moving
figures that were not shadows approached her through the darkness!

For us, we saw a splendour, a glorious woman centring the dark. Lona
sprang from her horse, and bounded to her. I sprang from mine, and
followed Lona.

"Mother! mother!" she cried, and her clear, lovely voice echoed in the
dome.

The princess shivered; her face grew almost black with hate, her
eyebrows met on her forehead. She rose to her feet, and stood.

"Mother! mother!" cried Lona again, as