The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-02

Fought their uncie. SiT AuuTcW, III tiie
sa,ar where ne sat alone. for they knew
Eosanund had walked to the church
hard by. Coming to his oaken chair
h the open hearth. which had q Chin
n.- IN tho common thing in those
days--thcy knelt before him.
What is it now. my nephews?" ask
cd the Old man. smiling. DO you
wi.i. that should knight you afresh?"
NO. sir" answered Goodwin: I'VE ask
greater boon"
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.
Speak" he said to Goodwin. THE
gift is great that l would not give to
either of you if it be within my power"
"Sir." said Goodwin. we 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 laugh
ed, laughed outright.
Truly" he said, ''of ali the strange
things | have known. this is the st:an-
gest-that two knights should ask one
wife between them"
1T seems strange. sir, but when you
have heard our tale you VIII under
stand"
Noble in this as in other things"
commended Sir Andrew when they had
done but | fear that one of you may
find that VOW hard to keep. BY all the
saints. nephews, you were right when
YOU said that you asked a great boon.
Do you know, although l have told you
nothing of it. that. not TO speak of the
knave Lozelle. already two OF the great
est men in this land have sought my
daughter Rosamund in marriage"
at may we'll be So" said Wulf.
at is SO. and now / will tell you why
one or other of the pair is not her bus
band, which In some ways l would he
were. A simple reason. / asked her,
aud she had no mind to either. and as
her mother married where her heart
was. so have sworn that the daughter
should do or not at all, for better a
nunnery than loveless bridal. e.
~
give. You are Of good blood-that of
Uluin by your mother and mine. also
on one side her own. You bore your
selves bravely in the Scottish war.
Since then. although you loved the life
little, because I asked it 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 Rosamund.
Fer the rest, your father being the
younger son, your lands are small and
you have no other gear. She whom
you ask is one of the fairest and noblest
and most learned ladies in this land
for !, who have some skill in such
things, have taught her myself from
childhood. Moreover, as I have no 9th.
er heir, she will be wealthy. Well
what more have you to offer for all
this?"
ourselves" answered Wulf boldly
Eve are true knights of whom you
knew the best and worst. and we love
her. We learned it for once and for nj
on Death creek quay, for till then she
was our sister and no more" g..
AYE. 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"
Proper men, the pair of you, but
Sir wulf most warrior-like and Sir
Goodwin most courtly," said the old
knight Now, which do you think would
please q woman most"
"That, SIR. depends upon the WON.
an" ansW cred Goodwin. and straight
way his eyes began to dream.
THAT, sir, we seek to learn before
the day is cut, If you give US leave"
added Wulf, though, il you would
know, think my chance q poor one"
"Ah, we'll, 1t is a very pretty riddle
Nephews, because you are good knights
and true, either of whom would ward
her well-and she may need warding-
because you are my only brother
sons, whom l have promised him to
care for, and, most Of all, because. I
love you both with an equal love, have
your wish and go try your fortunes at
the hands of my daughter Rosamund
win, the elder, first, as is his right, then
Wulf. Nay. no thanks, but 60 swiftly,
for I, whose hours are short, wish to
learn the answer to this riddle,