set ready, Dyson? she has asked for
it more than once."

Both women started and turned round, and Cherry uttered a little
involuntary cry, whilst the name "Cuthbert" sprang to her lips so
fast that she was not sure that she had not uttered it aloud. Her
eyes were fixed upon the face of the dark-eyed girl who had brought
the message.

"I will take it at once," said Dyson, hastily lifting it from the
fire. "I crave my lady's pardon for being late with it; but my
niece from London has but just arrived, and I was hindered for the
moment.

"Cherry, wait here till I return, and then I will speak more with
thee."

Dyson hurried away with the posset, and the two girls stood gazing
at each other, a light of welcome and amaze in both their eyes.

"Cherry! did she call thee Cherry? and from London, too? And Kate
bath ofttimes said that--Oh, why waste words?" cried the girl,
breaking off quickly. "Tell me, art thou Martin Holt's daughter?
art thou my brother Cuthbert's Cherry?"

"Thy brother? then thou art Petronella!" cried Cherry, in a maze of
bewilderment; and even as she spoke the name she felt Petronella's
arms about her, and they were laughing and kissing, questioning and
exclaiming, all in the most incoherent fashion, yet contriving to
make each other understand some fragments of their respective
stories, till at last Petronella drew herself away and laid her
hand on Cherry's arm, saying as she did so:

"But remember that here I am Ellen Wyvern, and not even good Dyson
knows more than that. Be on thy guard, good coz, and only speak
familiarly to me in secret. O Cherry, how I have longed to see
thee--Cuthbert's Cherry, of whom I have heard so much! And how
comest thou hither? Has he sent thee?"

"He? I have not seen him these six months past. Petronella, sweet
cousin, give me good news of him."

"Why, so I can--the very best. He has found the treasure. It is
safely lodged here. And he has gone forth into the forest again,
first to tell the tale to the gipsy queen, who has been his friend
through all, and then to return to London to thy father's house to
seek his Cherry once again, and claim her hand before all the
world."

Chapter 21: The Gipsy's Warning.

"Thy task is done, and it is well done. But now get thee from the
forest with all speed, for there is peril to thee here."

So said Joanna, standing before Cuthbert in the pixies' dell, her
hand upon the low stone wall, her tall figure drawn up to it