ard the king's chief hunter refer to the
process. As it was certain that Bladud, being an enormously big man,
would leave a very obvious trail behind him, she would follow that--of
course keeping well in the rear, so that he might never dream of her
existence or intentions until the fatal time arrived when she should
have to appear like a guardian angel and nurse him till he died.

Poor Branwen felt dreadfully depressed when she thought of this
termination, and was quite unlike her gay reckless self for a time; but
a vague feeling of unbelief in such a catastrophe, and a determination
to hope against hope kept her from giving way to absolute despair, and
nerved her to vigorous exertion.

It was in this state of mind that she had set the Hebrew's house in
order; carried everything of value to the inner cave; removed the plank
bridge; closed the outer door, and had taken her departure.

As already said, she concealed herself among the branches of an old oak
the first night, and, although somewhat alarmed by the cries of wild
animals, as well as by the appalling solitude and darkness around, she
managed to make a fair supper of the dried meat. Then,--she could not
tell when,--she fell into a profound slumber, which was not broken until
the sun had risen high, and the birds were whistling gaily among the
branches--some of them gazing at her in mute surprise, as if they had
discovered some new species of gigantic acorn.

She arose with alacrity, her face flushed with abounding health, and her
eyes dancing with a gush of youthful hope. But memory stepped in, and
the thought of her sad mission caused a sudden collapse. The collapse,
however, did not last long. Her eyes chanced to fall on the bundle of
dried meat. Appetite immediately supervened. Falling-to, she made a
hearty breakfast, and then, looking cautiously round to see that no
danger was near, she slipped down from her perch, took up the bow and
quiver and bundle of food, threw her blanket, or striped piece of
Phoenician cloth, over her shoulder, and resumed her journey.

It was soon after this that Branwen found out the misfortune of
ignorance and want of experience. Ere long she began to feel the
cravings of thirst, and discovered that she had forgotten to take with
her a bottle, or any other sort of receptacle for water. About noon her
thirst became so great that she half repented having undertaken the
mission. Then it became so intolerable that she fe