mac _has_ been
found--at least, well, no, not exactly found, but _seen_ and heard of.
I'm no better than the rest of you," continued Bladud, with a sarcastic
laugh. "It seems as if there were something in the air just now which
prevents us all from expressing ourselves plainly."

"Well, then, brother," said Hafrydda, with a smile, "if he told you that
Cormac has been seen and heard of, and is well, surely that may relieve
your mind till to-morrow, when I know that some one who knows all about
the boy is to be at our festival. We begin it with games, as usual.
Shall you be there?"

"I'd rather not," replied the prince almost testily; "but, of course, it
would be ungracious not to appear. This, however, I do know, that I
shall take no part in the sports."

"As you please, brother. We are only too glad to have you home again,
to care much about that. But, now, I have something of importance to
tell you about myself."

Bladud was interested immediately; and for the moment forgot his own
troubles as he gazed inquiringly into the fair countenance of the
princess.

"I am going to wed, brother."

"Indeed! You do not surprise me, though you alarm me--I know not why.
Who is the man?--not Gunrig, I hope."

"Alas! no. Poor Gunrig is dead."

"Dead! Ah, poor man! I am glad we met at the Swamp."

Bladud looked sad for a moment, but did not seem unduly oppressed by the
news.

"The man who has asked me to wed is your friend Dromas."

"What!" exclaimed the prince, in blazing surprise, not unmingled with
delight. "The man has been here only a few hours! He must have been
very prompt!"

"It does not take many hours to ask a girl to wed; and I like a prompt
man," returned the princess, looking pensively at the floor.

"But tell me, how came it all about? How did he manage it in so short a
time?"

"Well, brother dear--but you'll never tell any one, will you?"

"Never--never!"

"Well, you must know, when we first met, we--we--"

"Fell in love. Poor helpless things!"

"Just so, brother; we fell, somehow in--whatever it was; and he told me
with his eyes--and--and--I told him with mine. Then he went off to find
you; and came back, having found you--for which I was very grateful.
Then he went to father and asked leave to speak to me. Then he went to
mother. What they said I do not know; but he came straight to me, took
my hand, fixed his piercing black eyes on me, and said, `Hafrydda, I
love you.'"

"Was