ed it on the finger of her dear
Hynde Horn, and said, 'As long as the diamonds in this ring flash
bright, thou wilt know I love thee as I do now. Should the gleam
of the diamonds fade and grow dim, thou wilt know, not that my
love grows less, for that may never be, but thou wilt know that
evil hath befallen me.'

Then sadly they parted and Hynde Horn, the ring on his finger,
hastened down to the shore. Swiftly he embarked in the ship that
awaited him, and sailed away. On and on for many a long day he
sailed, until he reached the kingdom which Mury the king had
seized when he killed King Allof.

Here Hynde Horn warred against King Mury until he overcame him
and won again the kingdom of the East for himself, the rightful
heir. And the people over whom he ruled rejoiced, for Hynde Horn,
though he no longer was prince but king, did not forget his kind
and courteous ways.

For seven years King Horn ruled in this distant land, doing many
a deed of daring meanwhile, and winning both gold and glory for
himself.

Ofttimes during these long years he would glance at the diamond
ring which the Princess Jean had given to him, and always the
diamonds flashed back bright. Then one day, when his work was
over and he knew he was free to go again to the princess, his
heart wellnigh stopped for fear. He had looked downward at his
ring, and lo! the diamonds were dull and dim. Their lustre had
vanished.

The Princess Jean must be in trouble, or already evil had
befallen her.

Hynde Horn hastened down to the seashore, and there he hired a
ship to sail speedily to Scotland, where King Alymer ruled.

The ship sailed swiftly, yet the days seemed long to King Horn.
Oft he would gaze at his ring, but only to find the diamonds
growing always more dull, more dim. Hynde Horn longed as he had
never longed before to be once more beside the Princess Jean that
he might guard her from all harm.

Fair blew the wind, onward sailed the ship, and at length Hynde
Horn saw land, and knew that he was drawing near to Scotland.

A little later he had reached the coast and had begun his journey
towards the palace.

As he hastened on, King Horn met a beggar man.

'Old man,' cried Hynde Horn, 'I have come from far across the
sea. Tell me what news there is in this country, for it is many a
long day since I have been in Scotland.'

'There is little news,' said the beggar, 'little news, for we
dwell secure under our gracious King Alymer. To be sure,