Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-13

now on that stone with the and vines it, anC
all the vines around YOU you like Kundry in he
car-in the second part, you know And she was beau
tiful like you"
Involuntary she caught him to her bosom
mo oh, no am not Kundry. Oh, my little lad?
He rested upon her shoulder. He NOT robust
knight.
But you are acting her part Kundry put her arms
around Parsifal and kissed him. What makes you
cry?"
She laid her cheek to the little knights and smoohed
his shining hair Always herself a lonely child, a
dweler in books and fantasies higf-srung and emo
tonal she had an impulse to hold fast to the thin
little hand that lay in hers and follow with him
the purple hills ito the island valley of Avalon,
where falls not hail, or rain any snow
what makes you cry?" he asked again.
She laid her face on his shoulder that he made firm
and manly for her sake
Perhaps it is because l am happy" she faltered,
"n finding so pure knight. You shall be my cham
pon and do battle for me- There is something that
besets me-something am afraid Of 1t is demon
"a monster with green eyes. 1t was here Just before
you came You have driven him away but he may
come back You shall be my knight, my Galahad, to
slay him. You shall wear my color upon your sleeve
as you ride through the enchanted wood She drew
a gay ribbon from her neck and tied it about his arm
The lad regarded it proudly and caught UP the fallen
lance
Don't you think ought to wait for him here?" he
asked.
mo, but you may come again if you don't find him.
You must ride now. A canter such beautiful day
will make you strong for conquest 1t is only little
way through to the road"
The boys eyes shone with happiness. Miss Seymour,
remembering her own strange childhood, wondered
A. ot,1 the
lad
Il have two errands now" he said proudy-"two
things to do before can win the Holy Grail: for
you and one for Dick"
you have one for-Mr. Calvery?"
The little knight had leaned his lance against the
ponys saddle and was preparing to mount
YES one for Dick. I am to kill a giant for him
the giant Despair" flush Redeemed Miss Seymours
face, followed by slight palor.
Did Dick say that?"
Eyes Mama said it first, though and laughed But
Dick didn't, so I know he meant it, just you do
about the dragon Your dragon won't die natural
death, will it"
mo- I'm afraid not Why do you ask that?'
"Well mama asked Dick if he didn't think his giant
might, and said I'd better make haste to find it"
The sunlight of romance and the warmth of tender
ness had fed from the girls heart and left it cold
She hardly noticed her fragile knight as he mounted
his pony and headed toward the woodland road
"Good-by' he waved, the gay ribbon Autterlng on
his arm. 81 am going down beyond the bridge. May
be shall find the giant and the dragon there. Good
by fair ladyew he added quantity.
She rose as by a sudden impulse, and Selling his
hand drew his face down until his lips lay against her
cheek.
"Good-by, true knight" she answered. and added
word of caution about carrying his lance to avoid
the trees But the note in her voice that only mo-
ment before had made him so valiant was longer
there He rode away without looking behind, and
moment later she had dropped back the messy stone
seat the old human bitterness, and grief and resent
ment all that go to make up womans jealousy, rank
ling in her heart
The light breeze lifted the leaves, and moved the
long, slender branches above her The sun, nothing
at her feet changed and rppled Little vistas opened
here and there before her. showing the stately trees
or the fallen giants of long ago, manted with
emerald moss or tangle of vine and bloom. She had
loved these woods-ths wonderful mountain Forest its
primeval glory, its leapng brooks, its lofty SUBMITS
Tahawus and Algonquin with their marvel of shifting
lights and changing hues. Seen through the glamour
of youth and romance, it had been to her veritable
enchanted land, wherein true knights in shining armor
might ride to perilous adventure.
In the early days of her coming she had dreamed
these things. Then, when he had come, she, who had
never Deen noFeu ny any Huidil D0hlB DSlOiS' au al
at once looked into his face and loved him, and as
freely as the Maid of Astoat had set his image for
ever in her heart. Tall he was and handsome and
strong, man of the world with light and merry
Speech yet with soul that had seemed full of sym
pathy and tenderness, and TRUTH and understanding
OF course she had dealized him. Leading him through
the haunts and glens she had found and looking at
his manly figure and into his handsome face she had
seen him as a true and brave knight who to do
valiant battle for her with the world of unkind things.
What a romantic fool she had been Her knight
had proven a Lapceot, indeed Her love-dream had
been as the simmer of sunlight upon the leaves. She
had Weakened suddenly to find it gone. Her ideal had
become myth. Her only knight little dying
boy riding through land of make-believe to the quiet
gates of dusk
She reviewed, as she had done hundred times be-
lore the matter of her enlargement with Richard or
Dick as he had taught her to call him. She set her