an a ride, and after
that allure her by degrees. I wonder what kind of humor she is in."

It was not necessary to go far to obtain a hint as to that. Even as she
entered the passage, she heard from the bower-chamber the crash of a
chair overturned, the scramble of scurrying feet, and then screams and
the thud of blows.

"Now it is heard that she is not sulking among her cushions," Randalin
observed. "When her temper is up she is little afraid of doing things
which she else would not dare do."

According to that her expectations should have mounted high, as she
drew aside the door curtain, for the Lady of Northampton was far from
sulking. Partially disrobed, as she had sprung up from before her
mirror, she was holding the luckless Dearwyn with one hand while with
the other she administered pitiless punishment from a long club-like
candle which she had snatched from its holder. Between her entreaties
for mercy, the little maid was shrieking with pain; now, at sight of
Randalin, she redoubled her struggles so that the belt by which her
mistress grasped her burst and left her free to dart forward and fling
herself behind the Danish girl.

"Help me, help me!" she gasped; as Elfgiva swooped upon both of them,
her streaming hair taking on a resemblance to bristling fur, her eyes
showing more of opal's fire than of heaven's blue.

"Come not betwixt, or I will treat you in a like manner," the mistress
panted. "Do you understand the evil she has wrought? She has broken the
wing off my gold fly, besides tearing the hair half out of my head. It
is not to be borne with!"

But the Valkyria's fear of Elfgiva's tongue did not extend to Elfgiva's
hands. Catching the dimpled wrists, she held them off with perfect
coolness, as she said soothingly, "Now you tire yourself much, lady; and
you will tire yourself more if you consent to the entertainment I came
hither to propose." She laughed, a little excitedly, as a thought struck
her. "It may even be that you will not blame her for this, but rather
take it as a sign that my advice is good."

To say "sign" to Elfgiva was something like saying "cream" to a cat.
Gradually she ceased trying to free her hands, to gaze at her captor.
"What do you mean by that? Or have you any meaning except only trying
for an excuse to get this hussy off from punishment?"

"No, in truth, for I thought of it before I knew that trouble had
happened to her," Randalin answered; and now she knew that it was sa