t one by that elbowed his way among them; and a second time
she saw the Red Hunter come to halt and fix her before all the people.
Now this time, she vowed silently, you may gaze till night fall and day
rise again, Red Man, if you think to lower my eyes in the presence of
these! So she stood and looked him in the face like a queen, all her
spirit nerving her, and the people knew it to be battle between them.
Harding's great arms were folded across his breast, and on his
countenance was no expressiveness at all; but a strange light grew and
brightened in his eyes, till little by little all else was blurred and
hazy in the girl's sight, and blue fire seemed to lap her from her
tawny hair to her bare feet. Then she knew nothing except that she must
look away or burn. And her eyes fell. Harding walked past her as he had
done before, and not till he was out of hearing did the bystanders
begin their cruelty.

"A king's blood for the lady that droops to a common smith!" cried they.

"She shall swing his hammer for a scepter!" cried they.

"Shall sit on's anvil for a throne!" cried they.

"Shall queen it in a leathern apron o' Sundays!" cried they.

Rosalind fled amid their howls of laughter. She hated them all, and far
beyond them all she hated him who had lowered her head in their sight.

It was after this that the Proud Rosalind--

(But here, without even trouble to finish his sentence, Martin Pippin
suddenly thrust with his foot at the seat of the swing, nearly
dislodging Jane with the action; who screamed and clutched first at the
ropes, and next at the branches as she went up, and last of all at
Martin as she came down. She clutched him so piteously that in pure
pity he clutched her, and lifting her bodily out of her peril set her
on his knee.

Martin: (with great concern): Are you better, Mistress Jane?

Jane: Where are your manners, Master Pippin?

Martin: My mother mislaid them before I was born. But are you better
now?

Jane: I am not sure. I was very much upset.

Martin: So was I.

Jane: It was all your doing.

Martin: I could have sworn it was half yours.

Jane: Who disturbed the swing, pray?

Martin: Every effect proceeds from its cause. The swing was disturbed
because I was disturbed.

Jane: Every cause once had its effect. What effected your disturbance,
Master Pippin?

Martin: Yours, Mistress Jane.

Jane: Mine?

Martin: Confess that you were disturbed.

Jane: Yes, and with good caus