The San Francisco call., 1905-01-01

of the dais, where they were seated IN
the sight of all. she stood before her
cousins, not knowing, poor maid, to
which. of them she should offer it. But
Goodwin whispered word to Wulf,
and both of them stretching out their
right hands took an end of the kerr
chief which she held toward them, and
renting 1t in twain twisted the severed
fragments round their. sword hilt5,
whereat all laughed at their wit and
cried:
The wine for the handsome. They
cannot serve that thus
Rosamund thought a moment: then
she lifted a great silver breaker, the
largest on the board. and having filled
1t full of wine once more came for
ward and held it before them as
though pondering. Thereon the
brethren, as though by single move
ment. bent forward and each of them
touched the beaker with his lips.
Again great laugh went up, and
even Rosamund smiled.
The book! the book!" cried the
company. They may not tear the
holy book!"
So for the third time Rosamund ad-
vanced, bearing the missal.
Knights she said. you have rent
my kerchief and drunk my wine. Now
offer this hallowed writing-to him
who can read it best"
Give it to Goodwin" said Wulf. Il
am a swordsman, not a. clerk"
well said! we'll said!" roared the
company. 1.-The sword for us-not the
pen!" But Rosamund turned on them
and answered:
He who wields sword Is brave, and
he who Yields pen is wise. but better
is he who can handle both sword and
pen-like my cousin Godwin-the brave
and learned"
Hear her! hear her!" cried the COM
pany, knocking their horns upon the
board, while in the silence that fol-
lowed a woman's voice said, "Sir God
wins luck is great, but give me Sir
Wulf's strong arms"
Then the drinking. began again. and
Rosanund and the ladies slipped away
as well they might-for the times were
rough and coarse.
On the morrow, after most of the
guests were gone. manv of them with
aching heads, Goodwin and Wulf sought
their uncle. Sir Andrew. in the solar
where he sat alone, for they knew that
Rosamund had walked to the church
hard by with two of the serving
women to make it ready for the Fri
days mass. after the feast of the peas
ants that had been held in the nave.
Coming to his oaken chair by the open
hearth which had chimney to it-no
SOtAiIAOiI tillu6 La lAOSC ody0 ttlCy
kneeled before him.
What is it now. my nephews?'
asked the old man, smiling. do you
wish that should knight you afresh?''
Nay, sir" answered Goodwin, I'VE
seek a greater boom
Then YOU seek in vain, for there is
none.'',
Another sort of boom" broke in
Wulf
Sir Andrew pulled his beard, and
looked at them. Perhaps the Prior
John had spoken a word to him. and
he guessed what was coming.
Speak he said to Goodwin. THE
gift is great that I would not givesto
either of you If it be within my power"
Sir said Goodwin, I'VE seek the
leave to ask your daughters hand in
marriage"
What the two of you?"
Yes. sir; the two of u.s.
Then Sir Andrew. who seldom
laughed, laughed outright.
Truly" he said '.of all the strange
things / have known, this is the stran-
gest-that two knights should ask one
wife between them
1T seems strange, sir; but listen to
our tale and you will understand"
So he listened while they told him all
that mad passed between them and of
the solemn oath which they had sworn.
Noble in this as In other things"
commented Sir Andrew when they had
done; but l fear that one of you will
find that vow hard TO keep. BY all the
saints, nephews, you were right when
you said that you asked great boon.
Do you know, although / have told you
nothing of it, that, not to speak of the
knave Lozelle, already two of the
greatest men in this land have sought
my daughter Rosamund in marriage"
1T may well be so." said Wulf.
''It is so, and now will tell you why
one or other of the pair is not her hus-
band, which in some ways ! would he
were. A simple reason. I asked her,
and she had no mind to either. and as
her mother married where her heart
was, SO / have sworn that the daugh-
ter should do, or not at all-for better
a nunnery than loveless bridal. Now
let us see what you have to give. You
are of good blood-that of Uluin by
your mother, and mine, also on one
side her own. AS squires to your spon-
sors of yesterday, the knights Sir An
thony de Vaudeville nd Sir Roger de
Merci, you bore you bravely in the
Scottish War: indeed, your iiege King
Henry remembered it. and that is why
he granted my prayer so readily. Since
then, although you loved the life lit
tie, because asked 1t of you, you have
rested here at home with me. and done
no feats of arms, save that great one
of two months gone which made you
knights, and, in truth. gives you some
claim on Kosamund.
For the rest, your father being the
younger son, your lands are small, and
you have no other gear. Outside the
borders of this shire you are unknown
men, with all your deeds to do--for ]
reckon not those Scottish battles when
you were but boys. And she whom
you ask is one of the fairest and no.
blest and most learned ladies in this
land, for I, who have some skill in
such things, have taught her myself
from childhood. Moreover as have
no other heir. she will be wealthy.
Well, what more have you to offer for
all this?"
Ourselves answered Wulf boldly.
1--WE are true knights of whom you
know the best and worst, and we love
her. We learned it for once and for
fall on Death Creek quay, for till then
she was our sister and no more
"Ay,' added Goodwin, when she
swore herself to US and blessed us,
then light broke on both.''
Stand up said Sir Andrew. land
let me look at YOU
So they stood side by side in the full
light of the blazing fire, for little other
came through those narrow windows.
Proper men: proper men," said the
old knight; "and as like to one an
other as two grains of wheat from the
same sample Six feet high, each of
is larger made and the stronger of the
two. Brown and waving-haired. both.
save for that line OF white where the
sword hft YOURS GodwiYl-CSodwin with