Part 8 (2/2)

Everybody chatted and laughed, and some of the court ladies stroked Tommie's fur with their pretty white hands; and one took off her bracelet and hung it about his neck.

But when the Princess Yolande went forward to ask her question, everyone fell back. Then with sweet dignity, as became a princess, she stood before Tommie and said, ”Tell me if Lord Mountfalcon love me truly.”

Tommie didn't wink, for he knew the ways of court, his grandfather having been chief mouser to old King Adelbert; but he purred a warm good purr, like a mill grinding out pure white grain.

”If the sky in heaven be blue, Then Mountfalcon loves you true; If the sun set in the West, Lord Mountfalcon loves you best.”

”You see,” he added, ”I'm not much of a poet, but those are the facts.”

”Never was bad verse so sweet to me,” cried the Princess and she put down a whole bag of gold at Tommie's feet.

After her came Lord Mountfalcon himself with that sad grace of his, and all his spirit shadowed with love and grief. ”Sir Puss,” he said, ”shall I wed ever the Princess Yolande?”

”Before there are violets in the vales of the kingdom,” replied Tommie.

”Two saddlebags will not hold the gold I shall give thee,” exclaimed the n.o.bleman.

”Bring them to the cottage where Mother Huldah lives,” said Tommie. ”And I ask this further favor: When you leave this spot will you take me up behind you and give this money to a page to convey; and so bring me safely home with the wealth, for I fear mischief from the tanner.”

”Most willingly,” said Mountfalcon. ”I will present your request to the Princess.”

After him all the court came with questions; so when the page advanced to gather up the money the load was almost more than he could carry.

Then Tommie jumped down from his perch, and another page lifted him safely on to the big warm back of Lord Mountfalcon's horse, which felt fine and comforting to poor Tommie's feet. He was so tired that he took forty winks after he had told the Princess how to reach the cottage of Mother Huldah.

When he woke they were all in the dim forest and the Princess Yolande and Lord Mountfalcon were talking in low tones like the whisper of the wind through flowers; and it seemed as if their talk were all of love and dreams and far-away griefs and tears that must fall.

At last they reined in their horses where Mother Huldah stood at her gate peering into the forest. When she saw the beautiful lady and the n.o.ble knight and Tommie on the horse's back, she cried out, ”O bless you, Sir Knight, for bringing him home.”

”And I've brought a fortune with me, Mother Huldah,” cried Tommie.

At this Mother Huldah looked troubled. ”Gracious Lady,” she addressed the Princess, ”I hope my cat has not been up to mischief.”

”No, bless him,” replied the Princess; then she told all that Tommie had done. ”And fear not to take the money, Mother,” she added, ”for those who gave it did so of their free-will.”

”Alas! I would not take it,” sighed Mother Huldah, ”had not my Rupert and my Hugh died in the great war; and Rupert's wife went with him to the Kingdom of the Brave Souls; and I expect Charlemagne to-night with their little baby.”

”Rupert? what Rupert?” asked Lord Mountfalcon, leaning down from his horse.

”Rupert Gordon; I am Huldah Gordon, his bereaved mother!”

Then Mountfalcon removed his cap, alighted from his horse and bowed low before Mother Huldah. ”He died gloriously. He died trying to remove my poor brother from danger,” he said. ”Now let me be as a son to you, for sweet memory's sake.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHARLEMAGNE BRINGS THE BABY TO MOTHER HULDAH]

Then they all wept softly, for even to hear of those battles and those Silent Ones in the Kingdom of the Brave Souls was to behold the world through tears. And the Princess Yolande alighted and kissed Mother Huldah's hands and promised to visit her often.

So with many true words they parted at last, and Mother Huldah was left alone with Tommie and the bags of gold and silver, which she took indoors and then returned to scan the sky where now the white stars hung and a thin half-circle of a moon. Tommie romped in the snow for the joy of stretching his legs. After a while he said, ”Listen, don't you hear something, Mother Huldah?”

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