“A Blue Bird, indeed!” said the King. “If my huntsmen come across any such, you may be very sure they will make quick work of it! It would make a dainty dish to set before their King. As for that young David, he had best keep off my land. All who are found trespassing upon my kingdom are put to death at once. It is only because you are a girl, and a very fair one at that, that your life has been spared; these men of mine would have killed you long before I came upon them, had you been that young David of whom you speak, instead of the pretty lass that you are! As it is,” he added with a rough, coarse laugh, looking toward his huntsmen, “we will spare her and take her to the Palace. She will make a merry plaything for us all; and, if the fancy takes me, she shall become my wife and the Queen of my vast kingdom.” Ruth shuddered at these words, and looked hurriedly about her to see if there were not some way by which she could escape. The man who had first spoken took her roughly by the arm and led her up beside the King’s great black horse. “You shall ride behind me on my black charger,” said the King. As he spoke he drew off his gauntlet and offered her his hand to help her as she sprang from the ground to the great broad back of the powerful beast. She noticed that his hand was bronze-coloured like his face; and as she put her own cool, soft little hand into it, its fierce and almost burning heat made her feel faint. But she knew that she must not lose consciousness, for then she could not know what was happening to her or whither she was being taken. Once more she mustered all her courage; and as this strange procession journeyed through the forest toward the Palace, her lips moved in prayer. Within a few minutes she found herself a prisoner within the Red Palace of the great Bronze King. CHAPTER VII IN THE PALACE Ruth awoke the next morning to find herself in very comfortable quarters; for the Bronze King had taken quite a fancy to the pretty golden-haired little girl. He had told the women of the Palace that, after she had been properly instructed and educated in all the customs and laws of the land which it was necessary for her to know, he intended to marry her and make her the Queen of his Kingdom. She was not treated cruelly in any way, for she had all the luxuries that any little girl could wish--a warm comfortable bed in a pretty sunny room, dainty clothes to wear, and all the delicious food that she could possibly eat. The women in attendance at the Palace took care of her, and they were all kind and thoughtful. But they never permitted her to go outside the Palace grounds, for they feared that she might try to escape, and that, if she did, the King would lose his bride-to-be. He was utterly selfish and unjust, and sometimes he was terribly cruel; so that everyone feared to disobey his orders. The large rose-garden, enclosed by a high brick wall, was the only spot outside the Palace in which Ruth was permitted to wander.