e mourneth his enforced departure. Wishing you
health and an abiding place in the favour of God and His saints--Your
brother in the faith of Christ,

"DUNSTAN, O.S.B."

The boys laughed aloud as they read the forgery.

"But about the messenger--will he not tell the truth?"

"Oh, I will see to him, he is not above a bribe, and knows it is his
interest to serve his future king, although Dunstan thinks him so trusty."

All at once the booming of a heavy bell smote their ears.

"It is the bell of St. Paul's, it tolls for the death of some noble,"
said Redwald; "what can it mean? has any member of the royal family been
ill?"

They listened to the solemn dirge-like sound as it floated through the
air, calling upon all good Christians to pray for the repose of the
departed or departing soul. No prayer rose to their lips, and they soon
returned to the subject in hand.

"When is the letter to be despatched?"

"Early in the morning the messenger will await you; and now, I should
recommend some sleep to prepare for a fatiguing journey."

Elfric and the prince returned to their chamber, but they did not take
Redwald's hint, and remained talking till just before daybreak, when
they were aroused by the hasty step of an armed heel, and Redwald stood
before them. His demeanour was very strange; he bent down on one knee,
took the hand of Edwy, who resigned it passively to him, kissed it and
cried aloud--"God save the king!"

"What can you mean, Redwald?" exclaimed both the youths.

"Heard you not the passing bell last night? Edred sleeps with his
fathers; he died at Frome on St. Clement's day."

For a moment they were both silent.

"And Edwy, the great grandson of Alfred, is king of England."

At first the young prince was deeply shocked at the sudden news of the
death of his uncle, to whom, in spite of appearances, he was somewhat
attached. He turned pale, and was again silent for some minutes; at
last, he gulped down a cup of water, and asked--"But how did Dunstan
know?"

"Why, it is a strange tale. Three days ago, at the very hour the king
must have died, he says that he saw a bright light, and beheld a vision
of angels, who said, 'Edred hath died in the Lord,' but he treated it as
a dream, and last night a messenger came with the news of the sudden
illness of the king, bidding Dunstan hasten to his side. He left
everything, and started immediately, but in a few miles met another
messenger, bearing the news of the