castle hall--had seen the same message before.

But never had she looked so beautiful--or as she looked now in
retrospect--skin so white, mouth so tender, shape so stately, yet so
slim and graceful. Oddly enough, thought of her now filled him with a
vibrancy, with a longing.

And brave! Hadn't she shown herself to be brave though--to stand up like
that there before her grandfather, him whom all Europe called Louis the
Terrible, and declare herself ready to be welded to the man of her
choice! She wouldn't faint in the presence of horses! And where couldn't
a man go if led by a guardian angel like that? Slaves had become
emperors; blacksmiths had forged armies, become the architects of
cathedrals.

His breathing went deep, then deeper yet. The sweat was on his brow. He
sat up. He seized the chain in his powerful hands, made as if he were
going to tear it asunder.

But after that moment of straining silence he again lifted his face.

"_Seigneur-Dieu_," he panted; "if--if I only had it to do over again!"

VI.

"It's Gaspard the smith," said the frightened page. "He craves the honor
of an interview."

The duke looked up from his parchment.

"Gaspard the smith?"

The duke was seated before the fireplace in the hall. The forge had
been removed; and instead there were some logs smoldering there, for the
morning was cool. But his glance recalled the circumstances of his last
encounter with the smith. The watchful page was quick to seize his cue.

"He comes alone," the page announced.

The duke gave a start, then began to chuckle.

"_Tiens! Tiens!_ He comes alone! 'Tis true, this is the time limit I
set. Send the creature in."

And his highness continued to laugh all the time that the page was gone.
But he laughed softly, for he was alone. Presently he heard a subdued
clinking of steel. He greeted his subject with a sly smile.

Most subjects of Louis the Terrible would have been overjoyed to be
received by their sovereign so graciously. But Gaspard the smith showed
no special joy. He wasn't nearly so proud, either, as he had been that
other time he had appeared before his lord. He bent his knee. He
remained kneeling until the duke told him to get up. The duke was still
smiling.

"So my three days were enough," said his highness.

"Enough and sufficient," quoth the smith.

Now that he was on his feet again he was once more the man. He and the
duke looked at each other almost as equals.

"Tell me about i