good man, and me walken all the way from Tergou."

"From Tergou? then you must ha' met the soldier."

"What soldier? ay, I did meet a soldier."

"Well, then, yon soldier was here seeking that self-same Margaret."

"Ay, and warn't a mad with us because she was gone?" put in the girl.
"His long beard and her cheek are no strangers, I warrant."

"Say no more than ye know," said Catherine sharply. "You are young to
take to slandering your elders. Stay! tell we more about this soldier,
good man.

"Nay, I know no more than that he came hither seeking Margaret Brandt,
and I told him she and her father had made a moonlight flit on't this
day sennight, and that some thought the devil had flown away with them,
being magicians. 'And,' says he, 'the devil fly away with thee for thy
ill news;' that was my thanks. 'But I doubt 'tis a lie,' said he. 'An
you think so,' said I, 'go and see.' 'I will,' said he, and burst out
wi' a hantle o' gibberish: my wife thinks 'twas curses; and hied him to
the cottage. Presently back a comes, and sings t'other tune. 'You were
right and I was wrong,' says he, and shoves a silver coin in my hand.
Show it the wife, some of ye; then she'll believe me; I have been called
a liar once to-day."

"It needs not," said Catherine, inspecting the coin all the same.

"And he seemed quiet and sad like, didn't he now, wench?"

"That a did," said the young woman warmly; "and, dame, he was just as
pretty a man as ever I clapped eyes on. Cheeks like a rose, and shining
beard, and eyes in his head like sloes."

"I saw he was well bearded," said Catherine; "but, for the rest, at my
age I scan them not as when I was young and foolish. But he seemed right
civil: doffed his bonnet to me as I had been a queen, and I did drop him
my best reverence, for manners beget manners. But little I wist he had
been her light o' love, and most likely the--Who bakes for this town?"

The man, not being acquainted with her, opened his eyes at this
transition, swift and smooth.

"Well, dame, there be two; John Bush and Eric Donaldson, they both bide
in this street."

"Then, God be with you, good people," said she, and proceeded; but her
sprightly foot came flat on the ground now, and no longer struck it with
little jerks and cocking heel. She asked the bakers whether Peter
Brandt had gone away in their debt. Bush said they were not customers.
Donaldson said, "Not a stiver: his daughter had come round and paid
him the very ni