he snow and
frost came. We tracked a goodly pack of them into Glen More, and,
running them to a corrie in the hill of Kilbride, we there slew three of
them with our spears. But there was one dog wolf -- a great gray fellow
that we came upon at the head of the glen. He had a patch of white hair
about his neck, and by that I knew that it was the same that had so
frightened the widow Campbell; and being on my pony, I gave chase. He
doubled, and ran south, leading me even to Kilmory. There I lost him.
But I traced his steps in the snow, and where think you they led me?"

"Nay, how could I know?" said Kenric.

"Why, to the cottage door of Elspeth Blackfell.

"There I dismounted, and, pushing open the door, what should I see but
the same wolf lying down at his ease before the fire that burned in the
middle of the room! His long tongue was hanging out, and I could see his
great white teeth. At his side was the old woman's black cat. At the
other side of the fire sat Elspeth herself, calmly eating of a dish of
brose. Even as I stood there, the old witch bent down and laid the dish
before the wolf that he might finish the brose. When I leapt forward
with spear upraised to slay the wolf, Elspeth stepped in between and
roughly bade me put away my weapon. 'For,' said she, 'know you this,
Allan Redmain, that he is not as other wolves, and I would not have you
harm him by any manner of means;' and so I went away, marvelling much."

"Well," said Kenric, "and what make you of this adventure?"

"Why this: that Aasta the wolf maid, who was wont to prowl about in her
wolf's guise only at dead of night, has now taken to her fancies by
daytime also."

"If this be so indeed," said Kenric thoughtfully, never doubting that
the explanation was the truth of the matter, "then I would have you be
very careful in your adventures, Allan. Spare that white-breasted wolf;
for we know not what strange ill would befall you were you to slay Aasta
by mistake. Say naught of this to any man. Duncan Graham, who knows more
than others of Aasta the Fair, shall one day tell us what all this
mystery means."

But for the rest of that winter, no more was heard of the wolf maid's
wanderings, either by day or by night, and when the glad springtime
came, there was no more thought of wolves.

In that springtime Earl Kenric, now well able to get about, busied
himself upon his farm lands, and did all manner of hard and manly toil,
so that by healthy exercise of