e awfully nice," said Harry.

"Well, I'm sure I think you're a very nice boy," said Katie, in a
childish way.

For some time longer the party continued their journey. Harry and
Katie found walking so much pleasanter than riding in the rude cart
that they refused to get into the vehicle again, although urged to do
so very strongly both by Mr. and Mrs. Russell. For his part, Harry
declared that he infinitely preferred walking; and Katie, on being
appealed to, said that the jolts of the wagon made her head ache. So
these two continued their walk.

Gradually it grew darker, and the twilight deepened with the rapidity
common in southern latitudes. Then, fearing lest Katie might be
fatigued, Harry made her take his arm. After this, being still full
of anxious fears lest so fair and fragile a being might sink under
the wearisome tramp, he took her little hand as it lay on his arm,
and held it in his for all the rest of the way. And what Ashby would
have said or thought if he had seen that, is more than I can tell,
I'm sure.

The moon was shining, and its brilliancy was wonderful. Now they
entered among the mountains. Far on high ascended the lofty wooded
slopes on one side, while on the other they descended into a valley.
Beyond this there were other heights, while in the valley between
there was a beautiful winding river. A turn in the road brought them
at length to a place where the valley widened, and far away, shining
like silver in the moonbeams, flowed the river,

"With many a winding through the vale."

All around rose an amphitheatre of hills, some wooded, some
precipitous, and behind these rose the summits of loftier mountains
far into the sky.

Here, full before them, there arose a grand and stately castle.
Perched upon the crest of a spur where it projected from the flank of
a mountain, it stood before the new-comers the centre of the whole
scene, the crown and glory of it all. In the garish sunlight there
might have been perceptible many and many a mark wrought by the
destructive hand of time, for ages had passed since it first reared
its lordly form on high. Its architecture spoke of hoar antiquity, of
a time long past, when the Moor still fought around these scenes, and
rushed to the fight to the war-cry of Allah Akbar! But now, bathed in
the mellow moonlight, this ancient castle showed all its grand
proportions, with not a trace of decay or desolation; and its massive
walls arose in solemn majest