t way again, he would
share a pottle of ale at the lodge; and then tramped off after his
poachers over the stream.

Groom William then kissed the young women (the usual mode of salutation
then), Nanny Pierce and all, thanked Patience, and looked about for the
goodly little malignant, as he called Emlyn, but she was nowhere to be
seen, and Stead hurried him off through the wood.

"Ho! ho! sly rascal," said Charles, as they turned away. "You're
jealous! You would keep the game to yourself."

Stead had no answer to make to this banter, the very notion of Emlyn as
aught but the orphan in his charge was new to him.

They were not yet beyond the gulley when from between the hazel stems,
out sprang Emlyn, and kneeling on the ground caught the King's hand and
kissed it.

"Fairy-haunted wood!" cried Charles, and indeed it was done with great
natural grace, and the little figure with the glowing cheeks, her hood
flying back so as to shew her brilliant eyes sparkling with delight and
enthusiasm, was a truly charming vision. "It is like one of the masques
of the merry days of old." And as he retained her hand and returned the
salute on her lips, "Queen Mab herself, for who else saw through thy
poor brother sovereign's mean disguise?"

"I had seen your Majesty with the army," replied Emlyn, modestly
blushing a good deal.

"Ah! The Fates have provided me with a countenance the very worst for
straits like mine. But that matters the less since it is only my worthy
subjects who see through the grey coat. I would lay my crown, if I had
it, to one of those crispy ringlets of yours, that Queen Mab was the
poacher who drew off the crop-eared keeper."

"'Tis Robin Goodfellow, please your Majesty, who leads clowns astray,"
said Emlyn in the same tone.

"Sometimes a horse I'll be, sometimes a hound," quoted the King.

Stead could only listen in amazement without a word to say for himself.
Near the confines of the wood, he had to leave Emlyn to guide the King
over a field-path while he fetched Mrs. Jane Lane and the horse to meet
them beyond, as it was wiser for the King not to shew himself in the
village. Again Charles jested on his supposed jealousy of leaving the
fair Queen Mab alone in such company, and on his blunt answer, "I only
feared the saucy child might be troublesome, sir."

At which the King laughed the more, and even Emlyn smiled a little.

All was safely accomplished, and when Steadfast had brought Mrs. Lane to
the