The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-29
CHAPTER vi.
The Bleeding Heart.

The Bleeding Heart.
The queen. disguised as one Of the
I kings courters. and Sancha, the
kings chamberlain, mounted their
horses outside the witch's cave and
rode back toward the royal palace. AS
they zigzagged through the forest
aisles the queen, ablaze with rage and
of Godiva, said:
"Sancha, this night thou shalt do
me service"
"A service. hope, that your majesty
will requite," Sancha said.
Talk not of reward of the kind
thou hast in mind. Sancha, for never
will [ fly with thee as long as | am
queen of Urania Besides, thou Of.
fendest me with this constant pratte
of fight in which [ am to keep thee
company. If thou art not satisfied
with my favors as they are, then thou
hadst best thyself begone from the
palace"
Now to be gone from the palace was
farthest from Sancha's aims. For his
duties as chamberlain to the king had
perquisites of great value in doubloons
and Sancha had no hankering IN his
breast to forswear those perquisites.
SO now he made haste to say:
ALAS, fair Dulcinea. could not
leave the palace even if would. For
your beauty, dear queen, holds me
within the palace walls as one bound
with chains of iron"
This was the kind of fattery that
Sancha well knew was liked by the
queen. Flattery was to the ears of
this proud patrician of Urania as meat
and honey to the palate. So now she
smiled upon Salcha and unburdened
her mind of her own evil and cunning
plans
This night, Sancha." she said. thou
shalt destroy this beauty of the for
est upon whom mine eyes have looked.
There is lust in my heart for the sight
of her own heart torn from her body.
Even so would | slay the wench were
| man. Art thou, Sancha, such
man."
"Ay, mistress, even such man am
l." the chamberlain replied Thou
hast but to command me-"
We'll. then, Sancha, tonight when
all is dark in Urania, steal thou forth
from the palace with not too many Of
the kings retainers and go hence to
the cottage of the shepherd Rivarre
and secure there the heart of this Co
diva girl Bring thou that heart to
me and well, who can say, Sancha,
what reward shall be thine when my
gratitude is to be manifested?'
AS thou comInandest, your majesty,
so shall it be. Tonight when all is
dark none in Urania shall possess
beauty even approaching thine own.
For, in the darkness, Godiva shall
cease to live and her heart shall adorn
thy bedchamber."
And having made these plans, the
queen and Sancha stole into the pal
ace by the postern gate.
Meantime the king paced his apart
ment in impatience and in wonder that
"ancha, his chamberlain, came not for
Ais orders. But now at last Sancha
entered and cringed before his mai
esty, wen as servile and unworthy
rawling things called men cringe be-
fore the person they most fear.
"Sancha," said the king, this night
-hou shalt do me a service"
AS your majesty Wills" replied
Sancha, again making low obeisance.
This night, Sancha, when darkness
is over all Urania. take certain of my
retainers and go hence to the cottage
of Rivarre the shepherd"
At this command Sancha trembled
in his riding boots. For the order was
the counterpart of the one already
given by the queen. And how was any
court chamberlain to serve master and
mistress at the same time unless-Ah.
that was it-unless both sent him on
precisely the same errand.
And when you reach the shepherds
cottage" the king now continued, you
will seize the person of Godiva, the
beauteous maiden, and bring her
hither-alive Ky, mark you we'll,
Sancha! want the maiden alive! Let
one hair Of her head come to harm,
and thou, Sancha, shalt be flung into
the dungeon along with the girls
man, now rotting there"
Sancha trembled. Here, indeed,
were contrary commands. For the
queen, to gain her favor, he was to
bring the maiden's heart II he failed
in this, he. Sancha, would be banished
from the palace and from the favor
of the queen. For the king, on the
other hand, he was TO bring the maiden
alive. And If he failed in this, if the
maiden suffered one least little of