PRINCE RICARDO. 175

 

truth,” Ricardo went on. ‘‘Here’s my hand,
how it does sting! and she must find out.”

“J think I can cure it,” said Jaqueline.
“Didn’t you say Prince Charles gave you his
own sword?”

‘Yes, there it is; but what has that to do
with it?”

“Everything in the world to do with it, my
dear Dick. How lucky it is that he gave it to
you!”

And she ran to her own room, and brought
a beautiful golden casket, which contained her
medicines.

Taking out a small phial, marked (in letters
of emerald) :

“WEAPON SALVE,”

the princess drew the bright sword, extracted a
little of the ointment from the phial, and spread
it on a soft silk handkerchief.

** What are you going to do with the sword ?”
asked Ricardo.

“Polish it a little,” said Jaqueline, smiling,
and she began gently to rub, with the salve, the
point of the rapier.

As she did so, Ricardo’s arm ceased to hurt,
and the look of pain passed from his mouth.

“Why, I feel quite better!” he said. “I
can use my hand as well as ever.”

Then he took off the stained handkerchief,
and, lo, there was not even a mark where the