that a prince, not less than
a man-at-arms, is bound to fight a duel when required to do so. Having
finished his meal, he quaffed a huge goblet of spring water, and went
out to walk up and down with his hands behind his back.

Doubtless, had he lived in modern days, he would have solaced himself
with a glass of bitter and a pipe, but strong drink had not been
discovered in those islands at the time, and smoking had not been
invented. Yet it is generally believed, though we have no authentic
record of the fact, that our ancestors got on pretty well without these
comforts. We refrain, however, from dogmatising on the point, but it is
our duty to state that Gunrig, at all events, got on swimmingly without
them. It is also our duty to be just to opponents, and to admit that a
pipe might possibly have soothed his wrath.

Of course, on hearing of Branwen's flight, the indignant king summoned
his hunters at once, and, putting the enraged Gunrig himself at the head
of them, sent him fuming into the woods in search of the runaway. They
did not strike the trail at once, because of, as already explained, the
innumerable footprints in the neighbourhood of the town.

"We can't be long of finding them now," remarked the chief to the
principal huntsman, as they passed the entrance to Beniah's retreat.

"It may be as well to run up and ask the old man who lives here if he
has seen her," replied the huntsman. "He is a man with sharp eyes for
his years."

"As you will," said Gunrig sternly, for his wrath had not yet been
appreciably toned down by exercise.

They found the Hebrew reading at his door.

"Ho! Beniah, hast seen the girl Branwen pass this way to-day?" cried
Gunrig as he came up.

"I have not seen her pass," replied the Hebrew, in a tone so mild that
the angry chief suspected him.

"She's not in your hut, I suppose?" he added sharply.

"The door is open, you may search it if you doubt me," returned the
Hebrew with a look of dignity, which he knew well how to assume.

The chief entered at once, and, after glancing sharply round the outer
room entered the kitchen. Here Beniah showed him the chimney, pointed
out the yawning chasm below, and commented on the danger of falling into
it in the dark.

"And what is there beyond, Hebrew?" asked the chief.

Beniah held up the lamp.

"You see," he said, "the rock against which my poor hut rests."

Then the old man referred to the advantages of the situation for