shore by the storm, and seeing the disconsolate figure of Wilfrid on
the beach, she had drawn near, and, unperceived by the suffering youth,
had overheard his melancholy soliloquy.

While Wilfrid related the sad story of his master's untimely fate, the
royal lady wept aloud. After he had concluded his melancholy tale, she
took him to the castle of which she was herself an inmate, and
commended him to the care of her noble host, who quickly attended to
all his wants, and furnished him with dry garments.

When Wilfrid had taken due rest and refreshment, the queen requested
that he should be brought into her presence. He was, accordingly,
ushered into a stately apartment, where Ogina was seated under a
crimson canopy, fringed with gold. She bade him draw near, and
extended her hand toward him. Being well acquainted with courtly
customs, the youth respectfully bowed his knee and humbly kissed the
hand of the royal lady, who proceeded to say,--

"Thou hast been found true when the only reward thou didst expect for
thy faithfulness was a cruel death. But surely thou hast been
conducted by a kind Providence into the presence of one who has both
the will and the power to requite thee for thy fidelity to the
unfortunate Atheling; for I am his sister, the Queen of France."

"And I have then the honor to stand before the royal Ogina, daughter of
my late lord, King Edward, and Queen of King Charles of France?" said
Wilfrid, again bowing himself.

"The same," replied the queen, taking a ring of great value from her
finger and placing it on that of the page.