e evening," purred behind them a low
voice--that of the woman who was called La Meffraye. "It brings the
colour to the cheeks of the young. But I am old and wise, and I would
advise that two maids so fair should not look down on the sports of
the youths, lest they hear and see more than is fitting for such
innocent eyes."

The girls turned away without looking at their custodian, who stood
leaning upon her little hand crutch and smiling upon them her terrible
soft smile.

"Ah," she said, "proud, are you? 'Tis an ill place to bring pride to,
this Castle of Machecoul. You will not deign to speak a word to a poor
old woman now. But the day is not far distant when I shall have my
pretty spitfire clinging about these old trembling knees, and
beseeching me whom you despise, as a woman either to save you or kill
you--you will not care which. _As a woman!_ Ha! ha! How long is it
since La Meffraye was a woman? Was she ever rocked in a cradle? Did
she play about any cottage door and fashion daisy chains, as I have
seen you do, my pretties, long ere you came to Machecoul or even heard
of the Sieur de Retz? Hath La Meffraye ever lain in any man's
bosom--save as the tigress crouches upon her prey?"

She paused and smiled still more bitterly and malevolently than before
upon the two maidens.

"Did you chance to be awake yester-even?" she went on. "Aye, I know
well that you were awake. La Meffraye saw right carefully to that. And
you heard the crying that rang out of yonder high window, from which
the light streamed all through the night. Wait, wait, my pretties,
till it is your turn to be sent for up thither, when the shining knife
is sharpened and the red fire kindled. You will not despise La
Meffraye when that day comes. You will grovel and weep, and then will
La Meffraye spurn you with her foot, till the noise of your crying be
borne out over the forest, and for very gladness the wolves howl in
the darkness."

The little Maid of Galloway was moved to answer, and her lips
quivered. But Maud Lindesay sat pale and motionless, looking towards
the north, from which she hoped for help to come.

"Our brother, the Earl of Douglas, will bring an army from his dukedom
of Touraine, and sweep you and your castle from the face of the earth,
if your master dares to lay so much as a finger upon us."

La Meffraye laughed a low, cackling laugh, and in the act showed the
four long eye-teeth which were the sole remaining dental equipment of