mpany;
wherefore the sooner she comes the better shall I be pleased."

The woman withdrew, and Kate removed her hat and gloves, and looked
about her with quick, searching glances.

"A good room in sooth, and no bad prison, if prisoner I am to be.
And since I may have company, I can scarce be in such dire disgrace
as that. I wonder who this visitor may be? Some Wyvern, belike; but
doubtless we shall learn to take pleasure in each other.

"Soft! are those steps without? Yes; and some one knocks at the
door.

"Enter, enter, I pray. I am right glad--What! do my eyes deceive
me? Sure I am in some strange dream! Petronella! Surely it cannot
be Petronella! The features are the same; but the Petronella I once
knew was wan and frail as a fair wood lily, and thou--nay, but it
cannot be!"

"But it is--it is!" cried the girl, making a bound forward and
flinging her arms round Kate's neck in an ecstasy of happiness;
"and, O Kate, I have seen him again! I saw him ride to the door by
thy side! Perchance I shall even have words with him ere he journey
forth again! Ah, how rejoiced was I when I heard that thou wert
coming! O Kate, I have such news for thee--such news, such news!"

The two girls were folded in each other's arms. Between every few
words they paused to kiss and laugh in the very exuberance of their
happiness. It seemed like a dream to Kate; she could scarce believe
her eyes.

"Petronella--but how earnest thou here?"

"I came when the weather grew so inclement that Cuthbert would no
longer let me share his forest life. He brought me to this house,
and our aunts, when they heard our story, opened their doors to me;
and I have been here three whole weeks--ever since the summer's
heats broke in storms of rain. But here I go by the name of Ellen
Wyvern, lest haply it should come to my father's ears that I am
here, and he should fetch me away. But I have almost ceased to
quake at that thought; I have had my freedom so long."

"I scarce know thee, thou art so changed--so full of sunshine and
courage," cried Kate. "Erstwhile thou wert like a creature of
moonlight and vapour; a breath seemed as though it would blow thee
away. What has befallen to change thee so? What hast thou been
doing all this while? And where is Cuthbert?"

"Cuthbert is yet in the forest," answered Petronella, sinking her
voice to the merest whisper, as if afraid that even the walls would
have ears. "His task is not yet finished. It is one that ta