he Rat heard nothing, but they saw that she did and they sat
so still that each held his breath. So there was utter stillness for a
few moments. Utter stillness.

Then they did hear something--a clear silver sound, piercing the pure
mountain air.

The old woman sprang upright with the fire of delight in her eyes.

"It is his silver horn!" she cried out striking her hands together.
"It is his own call to me when he is coming. He has been hunting
somewhere and wants to sleep in his good bed here. Help me to put on
more faggots," to The Rat, "so that he will see the flame of them
through the open door as he comes."

"Shall we be in the way?" said Marco. "We can go at once."

She was going towards the door to open it and she stopped a moment and
turned.

"No, no!" she said. "He must see your face. He will want to see it.
I want him to see--how young you are."

She threw the door wide open and they heard the silver horn send out
its gay call again. The brushwood and faggots The Rat had thrown on
the coals crackled and sparkled and roared into fine flames, which cast
their light into the road and threw out in fine relief the old figure
which stood on the threshold and looked so tall.

And in but a few minutes her great lord came to her. And in his green
hunting-suit with its green hat and eagle's feather he was as splendid
as she had said he was. He was big and royal-looking and laughing and
he bent and kissed her as if he had been her own son.

"Yes, good Mother," they heard him say. "I want my warm bed and one of
your good suppers. I sent the others to the Gasthaus."

He came into the redly glowing room and his head almost touched the
blackened rafters. Then he saw the two boys.

"Who are these, good Mother?" he asked.

She lifted his hand and kissed it.

"They are the Bearers of the Sign," she said rather softly. "'The Lamp
is lighted.'"

Then his whole look changed. His laughing face became quite grave and
for a moment looked even anxious. Marco knew it was because he was
startled to find them only boys. He made a step forward to look at
them more closely.

"The Lamp is lighted! And you two bear the Sign!" he exclaimed. Marco
stood out in the fire glow that he might see him well. He saluted with
respect.

"My name is Marco Loristan, Highness," he said. "And my father sent
me."

The change which came upon his face then was even greater than at
first. For a second, Marco even felt