"Once might be too often," murmured the king to himself, as he
stroked
his child's head.
I cannot tell you how he had come to know. I am sure Curdie had not
told
him. Some one about the palace must have seen them, after all. He sat
for a good while thinking. There was no sound to be heard except that
of
a little stream which ran merrily out of an opening in the rock by
where
they sat, and sped away down the hill through the garden. Then he
rose,
and leaving Irene where she was, went into the house and sent for
Lootie, with whom he had a talk that made her cry.
When in the evening he rode away upon his great white horse, he left
six
of his attendants behind him, with orders that three of them should
watch outside the house every night, walking round and round it from
sunset to sunrise. It was clear he was not quite comfortable about the
princess.
Madhuri Noah
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