And in but a few minutes her great lord came to her. And in his green hunting-suit with its green hat and eagle's feather he was as splendid as she had said he was. He was big and royal-looking and laughing and he bent and kissed her as if he had been her own son.
"Yes, good Mother," they heard him say. "I want my warm bed and one of your good suppers. I sent the others to the Gasthaus."
He came into the redly glowing room and his head almost touched the blackened rafters. Then he saw the two boys.
"Who are these, good Mother?" he asked.
She lifted his hand and kissed it.
"They are the Bearers of the Sign," she said rather softly. "'The Lamp is lighted.'"
Then his whole look changed. His laughing face became quite grave and for a moment looked even anxious. Marco knew it was because he was startled to find them only boys. He made a step forward to look at them more closely.
"The Lamp is lighted! And you two bear the Sign!" he exclaimed. Marco stood out in the fire glow that he might see him well. He saluted with respect.
"My name is Marco Loristan, Highness," he said. "And my father sent me."
The change which came upon his face then was even greater than at first. For a second, Marco even felt that there was a flash of alarm in it. But almost at once that passed.