ich he held, and
indeed it were hopeless to suppose so frail a fetter could restrain
her.

"Thou hast told me the truth?"

"I have--on my hope of prospering in this pursuit of our patrimony."

"And what is thy purpose with the lad?"

"I have need of him. He is my hostage to him whom I serve."

"Thou wilt not take him by force!"

"I will not. He will follow whithersoever I lead. He has neither will
nor power to disobey."

"Grant a little space, I prithee. 'Tis a doleful doom for one so
young."

"To-morrow my time hath expired. Either he or I must be surrendered
to"----Here she pointed downwards.

"Agreed. To-morrow at this hour. We will be prepared."

The witch unwillingly departed as she came. The closet-door was shut
as with a violent gust of wind, after which Dee sat pondering deeply
on the matter, but unable to come to any satisfactory conclusion. He
never suspected for one moment what in this evil and matter-of-fact
generation would have occurred even to the most credulous--to wit,
that either insanity or fanaticism, aided by fortuitous events, if we
may so speak, was the cause of this delusion, at least to the unhappy
woman now the object of Dee's most abstruse speculations. His
thoughts, however, would often recur to his quondam associate, Kelly,
and, if in the neighbourhood, which he suspected, an interview with
him might possibly be of use, and afford some clue to guide their
proceedings.

Committing himself to a short repose, he determined to make diligent
search for this mischievous individual--having comforted in some
measure the unhappy couple below stairs, who were in a state of great
apprehension lest their son had already fallen a victim, and were
ready to give up all for lost.

Early on the ensuing day the Doctor bent his steps towards Clegg Hall,
whence the old family of that name had been dispossessed, and from
whom that mysterious individual, the Red Woman, claimed descent.

The air was fresh and bracing after the night's tempest. Traces of
its fury, however, were plainly visible. Huge trees had been swept
down, as though some giant hand had crushed them. Rising the hill
towards Belfield, he stayed a moment to look round him. There was
something in the loneliness and desertion of the spot that was
congenial to his thoughts. The rooks cawed round their ancient
inheritance, but all was ruin and disorder. His curiosity was excited;
he had sufficient local knowledge to remember it was on