d in time he too wedded into the house of Wyvern--married thy
grandam the fair Mistress Gertrude, whose eyes thou hast, albeit in
many points a Trevlyn."

"And what said Miriam then?"

"She liked it not well. Sullen, brooding hatred had gained
possession of her and of Long Robin. As Esther and some of the
tribe had learned to forgive Trevlyn for the sake of Wyvern, those
twain and a few others had come to hate Wyvern for their alliance
with Trevlyn.

"All this I have been told by Esther. I was not born till after the
treasure had been stolen--born when my mother had long ceased to
look for offspring, and had no love for the infant thrust upon her
care. I was taken from my infancy by Esther, who trained me up,
with the consent of all the tribe, to take her place as their queen
when I should have grown to womanhood. Esther loved not the roving
life of the forest; she had other wishes for herself. She practised
divination and astrology and many dark arts, and wished a settled
place of abode for herself when she could leave the tribe. She
brought me up and taught me all I knew; and she has told me all she
knows about that strange night on which the treasure of Trevlyn was
taken--and lost!"

"Lost--lost by the Trevlyns truly; but surely thou dost not mean
that they who stole it lost it likewise!"

Joanna's dark eyes were fixed. She seemed to be looking backwards
to a far-distant time. Her voice was low and monotonous as she
proceeded with her tale.

"The years had flown by since Miriam and Long Robin had divided
themselves from the tribe; and they had long since returned, though
still keeping aloof in part from the rest--still forming, as it
were, a separate party of their own. Long Robin had dealings with
the robbers of the King's highway; he often accompanied them on
their raids, he and some of the men with him. The tribe began to
have regular dealings with the freebooters, as thou hast seen. They
come to us for shelter and for food. They divide their spoil with
us from time to time. Since the hand of all men has been against
us, our hands have been raised freely against the world. Our
younger men all go out to join the highwaymen. We are friends and
brothers, and the wronged and needy resort to us, and are made
welcome."

Joanna threw back her proud head as though rejoicing in this
lawless freedom; and then giving herself a little moment for
recollection, she returned to the main course of her narrative.

"It