knows me
only as the boy he was kind to. I have given him the high-seat in my
heart, but I sit only within the door of his."

The forest seemed very still when she had done,--the only sound the
clanking of the bits as the horses cropped the withered grass. Then
suddenly the King gathered up his lines with a jerk.

"I cannot believe it," he said harshly. "You are all alike, you women,
with your cat-like purrings and tricksy eyes that surpass most other
things in deceit. I do not deny both that you know well how to feign and
that I would like to believe you, but you must prove it first before I
do."

"How can I do that, lord?" she said helplessly; but shrank, the next
moment, as she saw that already he had a plan in his mind. Moving his
horse a step nearer, he bent toward her triumphantly. "I will send for
the Englishman, in your name--or the name you wore--and you shall meet
him in my presence, and I shall be able to tell from his manner whether
or not you have spoken truthfully."

Send for him! At the very thought her face was ecstatic with happiness.
Then she clasped her hands in dismay. "But not if I must continue in
these garments, lord! You can decide over my fate, but I will never face
him again in anything but woman's weeds."

The King frowned. "Strangely do you speak; as if I did not know what is
befitting a Danish woman that I would allow one who is noble-born in all
her kindred to be treated disgracefully after I had taken her into my
wardership!"

A while longer he sat there, watching her changeful face with its lovely
mouth and the eyes that some trick of light and shade had deepened to
the purple of an iris petal's markings; and the sight seemed to gentle
his mood.

"I should like to reconcile myself to you," he said slowly. "Since
first you came before me and showed by your entreaty that you thought me
something besides an animal, I have felt friendliness toward you. And
I should like to believe that some woman loves some man as you say
you love this Englishman." Out of the very wishfulness of his voice, a
terrible menace spoke: "I should like it so much that I shall neither
spare you in word nor deed if you have deceived me!" Then once more his
manner softened. "Yet my mind feels a kind of faith toward you. I shall
try you, to make sure, but until you have proved that you are unworthy
of it, I will not keep you out of my friendship." Drawing off his glove,
he stretched forth his hand. "You may fin