ct hands. Lacking the
stateliness of a Spanish beauty, and the coarse fulness of outline which
has always been admired in the Netherlands, Elsa was still without doubt
a beautiful woman, though how much of her charm was owing to her bodily
attractions, and how much to her vivacious mien and to a certain stamp
of spirituality that was set upon her face in repose, and looked out of
her clear large eyes when she was thoughtful, it would not be easy to
determine. At any rate, her charms were sufficient to make a powerful
impression upon Adrian, who, forgetting all about the Marchioness
d'Ovanda, inspirer of sonnets, became enamoured of her then and there;
partly for her own sake and partly because it was the right kind of
thing for a deliverer to do.

But it cannot be said, however deep her feelings of gratitude, that Elsa
became enamoured of Adrian. Undoubtedly, as she had recognised, he was
handsome, and she much admired the readiness and force with which he had
smitten that singularly loathsome-looking individual who had dragged her
from the mule. But as it chanced, standing where he did, the shadow of
his face lay on the grass beside her. It was a faint shadow, for the
light faded, still it was there, and it fascinated her, for seen thus
the fine features became sinister and cruel, and their smile of courtesy
and admiration was transformed into a most unpleasant sneer. A trivial
accident of light, no doubt, and foolish enough that Elsa should notice
it under such circumstances. But notice it she did, and what is more,
so quickly are the minds of women turned this way or that, and so
illogically do they draw a right conclusion from some pure freak of
chance, it raised her prejudice against him.

"Oh! Senor," said Elsa, clasping her hands, "how can I thank you
enough?"

This speech was short and not original. Yet there were two things about
it that Adrian noted with satisfaction; first, that it was uttered in a
soft and most attractive voice, and secondly, that the speaker supposed
him to be a Spaniard of noble birth.

"Do not thank me at all, gracious lady," he replied, making his lowest
bow. "To put to flight two robber rogues and a woman was no great feat,
although I had but this staff for weapon," he added, perhaps with a view
to impressing upon the maiden's mind that her assailants had been armed
while he, the deliverer, was not.

"Ah!" she answered, "I daresay that a brave knight like you thinks
nothing of fig