hurt you; and upon that confounded Sun's hill you will
please never to set foot more.'

"'I have given my word, Albert; and I must keep my word let what will
happen.'

"'Very well,' said the youngster, 'that's enough! Then every thing's at
an end between us--clean at an end!'

"'How you take on now! For whom else, but for you, have I accepted this
pledge? For whom else have I so long endured--so long borne my father's
upbraidings? Dost thou think that, had I wished it, I could not long
since have wedded? And is it my fault that I am a Sunday's child? Is it
not said that all Sunday's children are born to good-luck? If you hinder
me from keeping my word with this miraculous being--and the luck that is
decreed me is meanwhile scattered to all the four winds--you may settle
it with the spirit and face his anger; for I wash my hands in
innocency.'

"Maud began to cry, kissed the shrunken leaf, and hid it again in her
bosom. Albert was not at ease. He was annoyed at the untoward encounter,
a touch of jealousy disquieted and distressed his soul, and yet he
could not say that the girl was in the wrong. At length he said,
dispiritedly--

"'Go through with your folly then. I will, however, be near you, and if
the moon-spun rascal takes improper liberties, I will snap his neck,
though mine too should crack for it.'

"For the first time in his life, Albert parted with Maud in an
ill-humour, and the poor girl herself passed a bad and restless night.

* * * * *

"'Mother,' said Maud a few days afterwards, whilst she was getting the
father's dinner ready for her, 'did you ever see a fairy?'

"'God forbid, girl!' cried the worthy and somewhat timid woman, crossing
herself. 'How came that into thy head? What hast thou to do with fairies
and elves, dwarfs and wights? A good Christian has no business with such
things of nothing, or worse.'

"'Why, aunt Nelly was telling the other day such surprising stories of
the people!' Matilda replied; 'but she did not drop a hint of our having
reason to fear any harm from them. She even called them the GOOD
PEOPLE.'

"'Daughter!' the mother seriously rejoined, 'we call them so that they
may do us no mischief. It is safer for us to leave them quite alone.'

"'Can it be true, mother, that they have buried themselves under the
Sun's hill, and keep house and home there? Aunt Nelly would have it that
in the still of the night, by bright moonlight, you may hea