el; "and I knew it was Herne by his antlered
helm."

"There is reason in what the damsel says, my liege," interposed Suffolk.
"If possible, you had better avoid an encounter with the villains."

"My hands itch to give them a lesson," rejoined Henry. "But I will be
ruled by you. God's death! I will return to-morrow, and hunt them down
like so many wolves."

"Where are your horses, sire?" asked Mabel.

"Tied to a tree at the foot of the hill," replied Henry. "But I have
attendants midway between this spot and Snow Hill."

"This way, then!" said Mabel, breaking from him, and darting into a
narrow path among the trees.

Henry ran after her, but was not agile enough to overtake her. At length
she stopped.

"If your majesty will pursue this path," she cried, "you will come to an
open space amid the trees, when, if you will direct your course towards
a large beech-tree on the opposite side, you will find another narrow
path, which will take you where you desire to go."

"But I cannot go alone," cried Henry.

Mabel, however, slipped past him, and was out of sight in an instant.

Henry looked as if he meant to follow her, but Suffolk ventured to
arrest him.

"Do not tarry here longer, my gracious liege," said the duke. "Danger is
to be apprehended, and the sooner you rejoin your attendants the better.
Return with them, if you please, but do not expose yourself further
now."

Henry yielded, though reluctantly, and they walked on in silence. Ere
long they arrived at the open space described by Mabel, and immediately
perceived the large beech-tree, behind which they found the path. By
this time the moon had arisen, and as they emerged upon the marsh they
easily discovered a track, though not broader than a sheep-walk, leading
along its edge. As they hurried across it, Suffolk occasionally cast a
furtive glance over his shoulder, but he saw nothing to alarm him. The
whole tract of marshy land on the left was hidden from view by a silvery
mist.

In a few minutes the king and his companion gained firmer ground, and
ascending the gentle elevation on the other side of the marsh, made
their way to a little knoll crowned by a huge oak, which commanded a
fine view of the lake winding through the valley beyond. Henry, who was
a few yards in advance of his companion, paused at a short distance from
the free, and being somewhat over-heated, took off his cap to wipe his
brow, laughingly observing--"In good truth, Suffolk, we m