ur poor mother, that you--Nay, I will not have ye cry, girl; ten
to one ye had your reason; so rise up, brave heart, and tell me all,
better late than ne'er; and first and foremost when ever, and how ever,
wend you to Sevenbergen wi' your poor crutches, and I not know?"

"I never was there in my life; and, mammy dear, to say that I ne'er
wished to see her that I will not, but I ne'er went nor sought to see
her."

"There now," said Catherine disputatively, "said I not 'twas all unlike
my girl to seek her unbeknown to me? Come now, for I'm all agog.

"Then thus 'twas. It came to my ears, no matter how, and prithee, good
mother, on my knees ne'er ask me how, that Gerard was a prisoner in the
Stadthouse tower."

"Ah"

"By father's behest as 'twas pretended."

Catherine uttered a sigh that was almost a moan. "Blacker than I
thought," she muttered faintly.

"Giles and I went out at night to bid him be of good cheer. And there at
the tower foot was a brave lass, quite strange to me I vow, on the same
errand."

"Lookee there now, Kate."

"At first we did properly frighten one another, through the place his
bad name, and our poor heads being so full o' divels, and we whitened a
bit in moonshine. But next moment, quo' I, 'You are Margaret.' 'And you
are Kate,' quo' she. Think on't!"

"Did one ever? 'Twas Gerard! He will have been talking backards and
forrards of thee to her, and her to thee."

In return for this, Kate bestowed on Catherine one of the prettiest
presents in nature--the composite kiss, i.e., she imprinted on her cheek
a single kiss, which said--

1. Quite correct.
2. Good, clever mother, for guessing so right and quick.
3. How sweet for us twain to be' of one mind again after
never having been otherwise.
4. Etc.

"Now then, speak thy mind, child, Gerard is not here. Alas, what am I
saying? would to Heaven he were."

"Well then, mother, she is comely, and wrongs her picture but little."

"Eh, dear; hark to young folk! I am for good acts, not good looks. Loves
she my boy as he did ought to be loved?"

"Sevenbergen is farther from the Stadthouse than we are," said Kate
thoughtfully; "yet she was there afore me."

Catherine nodded intelligence.

"Nay, more, she had got him out ere I came. Ay, down from the captive's
tower."

Catherine shook her head incredulously. "The highest tower for miles! It
is not feasible."

"'Tis sooth though. She and an old man she brought f