Evening star., 1925-12-13

10 the square below, where the sir
Joan moved like mother of kings
You wish "a woman for the castle
father" he said. Then a woman we
shall have. Holy Church may no,
give me another wife, but l shall take
one. And ! shall have a SON.
THE child Clotilde stood at her win
L dow and gazed over the plain as
far rs she could see and us far again
And there was her mother. She WoulC
go to her Jnd bring her back, or, per
haps. failing that, she might be al
lowed to stay.
Here no one would miss her. The
odor. OF cooking food filled the grea,
house, loud laughter, the clatter OF
mugs on board. Her old nurse was
below, decorating a boar's head with
berries and crown.
Because 1t was the Truce of God the
gates stood open. She reached the
foot Of the hill safely. Straggiers go
ing up and down the steep way re
garded her with suspicion. So she
went through the square. past the
roasting steer, and by a twisting
street into the open country.
The fool found her at the edge OF
the river She had forgotten tina,
there was a river. lie was on his
great horse. and he rode up 10 the
child and looked down at her.
1T was who captured him." he
boasted. The others ran, but
caught him So lie dismounted to
illustrate.
1T is not because you were brave
that you captured him."
Then Why" He stood with his
feet wide apart. looking down at her
1T is because you have slept In a
ma niger on a Holy Eve
Aye" he responded, but that was
a matter OF courage, too. There were
many strange noises. Also, In the
middle Of the night came our Lady
herself and said to me: Thou shalt
sing with the voice of an angel"
Think you" said the little maid
'if I slept where you did she would
appear to me? / would not ask much
only to be made lad like you. and
perhaps. to sing"
But l am a simpleton. Instead OF
wit, ! have but a voice, and nova
horse
"a lad like YOU" she persisted. sc
that my father would love me and
my mother might come back again?'
Better stay as you are" said the
fool. Anyhow. there will be no Holy
but once a year.
Also. it is hard times for men. who
must either fight or work in the fields
The struck his chest-'I shall dc
neither. ] go adventuring."
Clotllde drew her cloak around her
Il am adventuring. too" she said
only, have no voice and no horse
May I go with YOU"
The boy was doubtful. He had tina,
innate love and tenderness that Is
given TO his kind instead of other
things. But "a child,
Il will take you" he said at last
But where, little LADY,"
ITO my mother at the castle Of
Black Philip" And when his face
fell-for Philip vas not named The
Black only for his beard:
she loves singing. I will ask you
10 sing before her"
That decided him. He took her be
fore him on the gray horse, and they
set off. And because ii was the Truce
of God the children went unharn1ed
encountering no greater adventure
than hunger and cold and aching
muscles. Robbers sulked in their
fastnesses, and their horses paved
the ground Murder. rapine. and pill
lage slept that Christmas day under
the white flag.
They lay that night in a ruined
harm. Clotilde eyed the manger wist
fully. but the holly eve was past
and the day of miracles would moi
come for year.
Toward morning, however. she
reused the boy.
"She may have forgotten me- she