with her wares," said Diccon,
"and would give us no peace, praying that we would get them carried in
to the Queen and her ladies, whining about her children till she made
Cis soft-hearted. Where can she have hidden herself?"

The man who was stationed as sentry at the gate said he had seen the
woman come over the brow of the hill with Master Diccon and Mistress
Cicely, but that as they ran forward to meet Captain Talbot she had
disappeared amid the rocks and brushwood.

"Poor woman, she was afraid of our father," said Cicely; "I would we
could see her again."

"So would not I," said Richard. "It looks not well, and heed me well,
children, there must be no more of these pranks, nor of wandering out
of bounds, or babbling with strangers. Go thou in to thy mother, Cis,
she hath been in much trouble for thee."

Mistress Susan was unusually severe with the girl on the indiscretion
of gadding in strange places with no better escort than Diccon, and of
entering into conversation with unknown persons. Moreover, Cicely's
hair, her shoes, and camlet riding skirt were all so dank with dew that
she was with difficulty made presentable by the time the horses were
brought round.

The Queen, who had not seen the girl that morning, made her come and
ride near her, asking questions on the escapade, and giving one of her
bewitching pathetic smiles as she said how she envied the power of thus
dancing out on the greensward, and breathing the free and fresh morning
air. "My Scottish blood loves the mountains, and bounds the more
freely in the fresh breeze," she said, gazing towards the Peak. "I
love the scent of the dew. Didst get into trouble, child? Methought I
heard sounds of chiding?"

"It was no fault of mine," said Cis, inclined to complain when she
found sympathy, "the woman would speak to us."

"What woman?" asked the Queen.

"A poor woman with a basket of wares, who prayed hard to be allowed to
show them to your Grace or some of the ladies. She said she had five
sorely hungered children, and that she heard your Grace was a
compassionate lady."

"Woe is me, compassion is full all that I am permitted to give," said
the Queen, sadly; "she brought trinkets to sell. What were her wares,
saidst thou?"

"I had no time to see many," said Cis, "something pure and white like a
new-laid egg, I saw, and a necklet, clouded with beauteous purple."

"Ay, beads and bracelets, no doubt," said the Queen.

"Yes, beads and b