was minded not to stay there myself. But
adieu now. To the maiden! Keep her safe for me."

He waved his hand and stalked to the gate, where I watched him, erect,
amid his cheering clansmen, with a joyous smile on his face such as I
had rarely seen there before, and which I knew belonged in part to the
noble chieftain, his father, and in part to his true love, the maiden.

Alas! 'twas many a long day before I was to see him smile again like
that, as you shall hear.

For the present, I went light at heart to the maiden, whom I found pale,
indeed (for she had been ill), but serene and happy. The old nurse,
who, I thought, ill liked my intrusion, forbade me to weary her young
mistress with talk or questions.

"A plague on every man of you," growled the old woman. "You're only
matched by the women, who be worse. Did I not tell you, Humphrey
Dexter, my Lady Cantire would be no friend to my sweet mistress? 'Twas
in vain the silly child tried to wheedle her over. Wheedle the Tether
Stake! My lady bade her be civil to the Captain, if she would please
her step-dame. And when the maiden put down her little foot at that,
she was clapped within walls like a rogue, and fed on bread and water.
Little harm that would have done, had not the captain himself served her
as jailer, and every day thrust his evil presence into our company. I
tell thee, Humphrey, that maiden hath fought as well as you or any of
them; and shame on your sex, say I, that this devil should be one of
you! Ill? No wonder if she was ill; with not a soul to pity her save a
poor old body like me. Where's her father, to leave her thus? Eh, you
mug-faced champion, you?"

"Indeed, Judy," said I, taken aback, "'tis a terrible case; but you
cannot blame me."

"Not blame you! when instead of playing soldier you might have ridden to
Toome and brought Turlogh to help us? Take shame on yourself; and, when
you see the maiden weak and white, thank God her death be not on your
head. For dead she would have been, like the brave maid she is, before
ever she would have looked at this fellow-countryman of yours. He
thought he had her safe, forsooth, when he whipped her off here and took
the key with him. Fiend! Little wonder if she hates the name of you
English!"

I grew angry at this, and told her she was a churlish old woman and had
best leave me in peace till her temper was better. So we parted ill
friends; I to guard the door, she to carry her waspish