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 noble 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."
[Illustration: 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.