Produced by Darleen Dove and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. Darleen Dove [Illustration: _“’TWILL LULL THEE TO DREAMLESS REPOSE.”_] ———— *A MAID AT KING ALFRED’S COURT* _A Story for Girls_ _By_ LUCY FOSTER MADISON Author of “A Maid of the First Century,” etc. ILLUSTRATED BY IDA WAUGH THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA MCM _Copyright 1900 by The Penn Publishing Company_ ———— “I bring, thy favor to attain, King Alfred and his glorious reign. No nobler hero could I bring Than Britain’s pure and gentle king. Brighter than all, his spotless name Shines on his country’s scroll of fame. A thousand years his bones are dust, Yet men still name him as the Just. A hundred kings have ruled his state, Yet him alone she names—The Great. To him, her noblest praise she sings, As mightiest of her mighty kings.” CONTENTS CHAPTER I—THE MEETING IN THE FOREST CHAPTER II—WINCHESTER CHAPTER III—A THIEF IN THE NIGHT CHAPTER IV—IN THE HALL OF ALFRED CHAPTER V—THE DEATH OF A HERO CHAPTER VI—THE WOLVES’ CONCERT CHAPTER VII—THE COMING OF A STRANGER CHAPTER VIII—ADIVA GROWS ANGRY CHAPTER IX—WOULD YOU STRIKE YOUR KING? CHAPTER X—EGWINA GOES AS A MESSENGER CHAPTER XI—SOME DANISH TALES CHAPTER XII—THE MAGIC SLEEP CHAPTER XIII—VICTORY SITS WITH THE SAXONS CHAPTER XIV—A PLEASANT SURPRISE CHAPTER XV—THE BEGGAR OF ATHELNEY CHAPTER XVI—IN THE CAMP OF THE ENEMY CHAPTER XVII—THE WINNING OF A BUCKLER CHAPTER XVIII—PEACE CHAPTER XIX—DARK DAYS CHAPTER XX—ÆLFRIC’S REVENGE CHAPTER XXI—THE TRIAL OF EGWINA CHAPTER XXII—THE ORDEAL CHAPTER XXIII—THE DREAD DECREE CHAPTER XXIV—ADIVA TAKES MATTERS INTO HER HANDS CHAPTER XXV—HILDA AGAIN CHAPTER XXVI—THE ECLIPSE CHAPTER XXVII—SIEGBERT’S STORY CHAPTER XXVIII—AN UNEXPECTED GUEST CHAPTER XXIX—BRINGING THE SUMMER HOME *A Maid at King Alfred’s Court* CHAPTER I—THE MEETING IN THE FOREST Beautiful was the month of October in the year of our Lord 877. That part of merrie England called Wessex was covered, in this ancient time with a vast and extensive wood. Only where the broad estuary of Southampton Water divided the tangled woodland, and along the river Itchen, was there any break in the forest. Formidable were the wastes of Andred’s weald, and fortunate the traveler whose path lay not apart from the public roads.