They, poor things, knew no
better, and were most proud and joyous; and both kissing me after their
country fashion, 'twas the hind that was her sweetheart, they did bid me
God-speed; and I towards Rhine."

Margaret paused here, and gave Denys the coloured drawing to hand round.
It was eagerly examined by the females on account of the costume, which
differed in some respects from that of the Dutch domestic: the hair was
in a tight linen bag, a yellow half kerchief crossed her head from ear
to ear, but threw out a rectangular point that descended the centre of
her forehead, and it met in two more points over her bosom. She wore a
red kirtle with long sleeves, kilted very high in front, and showing a
green farthingale and a great red leather purse hanging down over it;
red stockings, yellow leathern shoes, ahead of her age; for they were
low-quartered and square-toed, secured by a strap buckling over the
instep, which was not uncommon, and was perhaps the rude germ of the
diamond buckle to come.

Margaret continued:--

"But oh! how I missed my Denys at every step! often I sat down on the
road and groaned. And in the afternoon it chanced that I did so set me
down where two roads met, and with heavy head in hand, and heavy heart,
did think of thee, my poor sweetheart, and of my lost friend, and of the
little house at Tergou, where they all loved me once; though now it is
turned to hate."

Catherine. "Alas! that he will think so."

Eli. "Whisht, wife!"

"And I did sigh loud, and often. And me sighing so, one came carolling
like a bird adown t' other road. 'Ay, chirp and chirp,' cried I
bitterly. 'Thou has not lost sweetheart, and friend, thy father's
hearth, thy mother's smile, and every penny in the world.' And at last
he did so carol, and carol, I jumped up in ire to get away from his most
jarring mirth. But ere I lied from it, I looked down the path to see
what could make a man so lighthearted in this weary world; and lo! the
songster was a humpbacked cripple, with a bloody bandage o'er his eye,
and both legs gone at the knee."

"He! he! he! he! he!" went Sybrandt, laughing and cackling.

Margaret's eyes flashed: she began to fold the letter up.

"Nay, lass," said Eli, "heed him not! Thou unmannerly cur, offer't but
again and I put thee to the door."

"Why, what was there to gibe at, Sybrandt?" remonstrated Catherine more
mildly. "Is not our Kate afflicted? and is she not the most content of
us all, and singe