are too sure of him."

"Not at all. Only as Cormac. I wish I were sure of him as Branwen!"

"Perchance he might like you best as the little old woman in grey."

"It may be so. I think he liked me even as a witch, for he patted my
shoulder once so kindly."

"I'll tell you what--I'll go and consult father," said the princess.

"No, you shan't, my dear, for he is not to know anything about it just
yet. But I will go and consult _my_ father. He will give me good
advice, I know."

The result of Branwen's consultation with her father was that the Hebrew
was summoned to his presence. An explanation took place, during which
Gadarn attempted to look grave, and dignified, as became a noted
northern chief, but frequently turned very red in the face and vented
certain nasal sounds, which betrayed internal commotion.

"You will therefore start for the Hot Swamp to-morrow, Beniah," he
finally remarked, "and let Bladud know that the king desires his return
to court immediately. I have been told by the king to send him this
message. But keep your own counsel, Hebrew, and be careful not to let
the prince know what _you_ know, else it will go ill with you! Tell
him, from myself, that I have at last fallen on the tracks of the lad
Cormac, and that we are almost sure to find him in this neighbourhood.
Away, and let not thy feet take root on the road."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

BRANWEN VISITS GUNRIG.

Before going off on his mission the Hebrew paid a visit to his own
residence, where he found Branwen busy with culinary operations.
Sitting down on a stool, he looked at her with an expression of mingled
amusement and perplexity.

"Come hither, my girl," he said, "and sit beside me while I reveal the
straits to which you have brought me. Verily, a short time ago I had
deemed it impossible for any one to thrust me so near to the verge of
falsehood as you have done!"

"I, Beniah?" exclaimed the maiden, with a look of surprise on her pretty
face so ineffably innocent that it was obviously hypocritical--insomuch
that Beniah laughed, and Branwen was constrained to join him.

"Yes--you and your father together, for the puzzling man has
commissioned me to set out for the Hot Swamp, to tell Bladud that he is
urgently wanted at home. And he would not even allow me to open my
lips, when I was about to broach the subject of your disguises, although
he almost certainly knows all about them--"

"What! my father knows?" interrupted