No prayers or entreaties can dissuade her."

"Strange, indeed. Have you thought well over it?" asked Lucifer, turning
to Elsie.

[Illustration]

"I do not come here to argue, but to die," replied Elsie. "Your
business is not to question but to kill me, and I am ready."

With a last farewell to Prince Henry and her weeping attendants, Elsie
followed Lucifer into a gloomy building. The Prince tried to follow
them, but Lucifer thrust him back and barred the door. Suddenly the
Prince's better angel prevailed and he realized what a vile thing it was
that he should purchase health and strength at such a cost. Sooner would
he himself die a lingering death than that harm should come to Elsie,
who had grown so dear to him during their long journey together.
Shouting to his men to aid him, he burst open the door and rushed in to
save her.

* * * * *

A few weeks later, Dame Ursula was sitting in her cottage spinning and
thinking sadly of her child's untimely death, when a forester stopped at
the farm and inquired for Gottlieb.

"I am his wife," said the dame.

"Then I have news for you. The Prince is strong and well again."

"Then Elsie, my poor child, is dead," she rejoined, mournfully.

"It is true that your daughter is no longer the humble peasant she once
was."

"Nay, do not mock a mother's agony, and tell me truly what has befallen
my child," she implored.

Then the forester told Ursula his wonderful news; how at Salerno the
Prince's nobler self had prevailed, and the maiden's life had been
spared, whereupon a miracle had been worked on the Prince and he had
straightway been healed.

"They call your daughter the Lady Alicia now," continued the messenger,
"for the Prince made a vow in Salerno that he would wed no one but
Elsie. At this very moment the Prince and his bride are sailing homeward
down the Rhine in a splendid barge decked with banners, and all the
people are gathered on the banks, shouting with joy."

Dame Ursula's raptures can be better imagined than described, and she
rushed away to tell her husband the glad tidings, while the forester
calmly sat down and helped himself to Gottlieb's supper.

And so we may leave the Prince and his young bride with the feeling that
their wedded life proved to be a very happy one, for their love had been
tried by pain and suffering, and a love which can conquer these is one
which will endure.

[Illustration]

THE COURTSHI