others as I myself have been treated. They would not allow me to enter
their gorgeous abodes; I now refuse them admittance into mine, albeit it
may not be of the most splendid character."

"That were cruel, mother," I answered; "we should return good for evil;
and those for whom I plead have never wronged you--of that I am
certain."

"Go away, go away, I tell you!" she again cried out; "you have had my
reply."

"This will never do!" I exclaimed to A'Dale, for every instant the rain
was coming down heavier and heavier.

The serving-men were holding our horses. Putting our shoulders against
the door, we gave a shove together, and it flew open. The hut was much
larger than we had expected to find it, and would afford, I saw at a
glance, not only shelter for the ladies but for all our party, and for
the horses also. At the farther end sat an old crone, her white locks
escaping from under her coif; and her bony arms, which were bare to the
elbow, extended over a large pan, beneath which were burning coals. She
glanced round at us with a look of anger.

"I pray thee, dame, be not offended," I said, approaching her, while the
ladies stood at a little distance. "We have entered your abode with
scant ceremony, but have no desire to treat you with disrespect; gladly
will we pay, too, for the injury we may have done your door, though we
could not remain outside exposed to the pelting storm when shelter was
at hand. Had you admitted us without parley, the latch would have
remained uninjured, and our tempers would not have been aroused."

To these remarks she made no reply, but seizing a wand, which lay by her
side, began to stir the contents of the pan. As our eyes got accustomed
to the gloom of the hut, numerous articles were seen about, which showed
us at once the character of the inmate.

"I wish that we had braved the storm rather than have come in here,"
whispered Madam Clough. "Perchance, indeed, it was summoned at the beck
of this old witch; and by her looks I fear she purposes to work us
evil."

Nothing, could be more forbidding than the aspect of the old dame.
Whether witch or not, that she wished to be thought so was very evident.
I did not myself share the terror of Madam Clough, nor, I think, did
Aveline; still, when I asked the old woman to allow the ladies to
approach her fire, in order that they might dry their wet garments, they
all drew back, evidently not wishing to be nearer than they were to