Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-01

After a while an enchanting smile touched
her lips. Surely, rose garden is a fitting
place to receive the amba ssadorS of a
lover" she said and Strengthened herself
into more graceful folds. Bring them to
me here, ladybird. Candida, fetch hither
the lace veil from my bower and call the
other maids as you go and all the pages
you can find Since Teboen is not by
want all of you behind me. l cannot help
1t that the Tall One always gives me the
feeling of lamb before a wolf"
Even had the likeness never occurred to
her before, it would not have been strange
if she had thought of it today as, followed
by the marshal and preceded by their fail
usher the old warrior came across the
grass to the little court under the apple
tree. The keenness of the hooded eyes
that looked out at her from his grizzled
locks, the CLEAN of the white teeth be-
tween his bearded lips as he greeted her
was Enthusiastically wolfish. She relapsed
into kind of lamb-like tremor she in
Vlted them to be seated and commanded
the attendance of her cup-bearer. When
she caught sight of the misery of dfscom-
fort in Seberts frank face she lost he1
vGice entirely and waited in utter silence
while they drank their wine
Yet Thorkel's manner was unWontedly
genial when at last he preached his er.
rand. You lack the eagerness that is to be
expected lady he said as he gave his
mouth a last polish with the delicate nap.
kin. How comes it that you have no,
guessed l bring you message from the
king?"
She answered doubtfully that the king had
not behaved to her SO that his MESA ses
were apt to be anticipated with much plea g.
ure.
But it has never occurred that l brought
you this kind of news before, he tempted
her. VIII 1t not interest you to hear that
at last the palace is ready for a queen?"
That startled her little out Of he,
WEAKNESS, crying the last two words after
him with an eagerness Of infection that was
as pathetic as though her heart were con.
cerned.
His lips gave out flash as he nodded "a
queen Canute is going to give the Angles
a gift of the elves :"
For an instant, she was betrayed into be-
lieving him. and bent forward, her flushing
face TRANSPORTED with delight She was
starting to speak when the Etheing rose
abrutly from his seat.
Lord Thorkel.' he said angrily, "thisscat.
play would bring you little thanks from
your king. nor will / longer endure it.
pray you explain without delay that the
name OF 'Elfgiva' is borne also by Emma OF
Normandy"
Then the old man snarled as a wolf doas
whose bone has been seized Lord nj
1Varsdale, you act in the thoughtIess way
OF youth. l was bringing the matter gen.
tly-
But the young man Accommodates bys
purpose in spite of the elder He did moi
address the kings wife-indeed, he re-
Trained even from looking at her-but he
spoke swiftly to the dark-ha;red girl who
stood beside the seat "Randalin. T hep
you to tell your lady that Elfgiva Emma,
who Is Ethelred's widow and the lady of
Normandy. arrives at Dover tomorrow to
be made queen of the English"
AS all expected, the Lady Of Northamn-
ton started up shrieking defiance, scream
ing that 1t should not be so, that the king
was her husband and the soldiers would
support her II the monks would not; that
lerS-and n ha Of
feet, until the plunging words ran into
each other and tears and laughter blotted
out the last semblance of speech. That
she would end by swooning or attacking