as weeping, more bitterly and deeply every minute. This
pierced the very depths of my soul. Yet I tried to harden my heart till
I heard her voice saying: "Margery!"

That was an end of our silence, and I answered: "Ann."

Then she sobbed out: "As we came home from the hunt he made me promise
never to reveal it, but it is bursting my heart. Oh! Margery, Margery,
I ought to hide and bury it in my soul; so he bid me, and
nevertheless...."

I sat up on the pillow as if new life had come to me, and cried: "Oh
Ann, you can tell me nothing that I know not already, for I saw him
dismount and how he embraced you."

And then, before I was aware of her, she leaped up and was kneeling on
her knees by the head of my bed, and her lips were kissing mine, and
her cheeks were against my face and her tears running down my cheeks and
neck and bosom while she confessed all. In our peaceful little chamber
there was a wild outpouring of vows of love and words of fear, of plans
for the future, and long tales of how it all had come to pass.

I had with mine own eyes seen it in the bud and, unwittingly indeed, had
fostered its growth. How then could I be dismayed when now I beheld the
flower?

Their meeting this morning had been as the striking of flint and steel,
and if sparks had come of it how could they help it? And I took Ann's
word when she said that she would have flown into the arms of her
beloved, if father and mother and a hundred more had been standing round
to warn her.

All she said that night was full of perfect and joyful assurance, and it
took hold of my young soul; and albeit I could not blind myself, but saw
that great and sore hindrances stood in the way of my brother's choice,
I vowed to myself that I would smooth their path so far as in me lay.

All was now forgotten that I had taken amiss that evening in the
returned wanderer; and when I gave Ann a last kiss that night how well I
loved her again!

CHAPTER VII.

The cocks had already crowed before I fell asleep, and when I awoke Ann
was sitting in front of the mirror, plaiting her hair. I knew full well
what had led her to quit her bed so early, and, as she met her lover at
breakfast, her form and face meseemed had gained in beauty, so that I
could not take my eyes off from her. My aunt and his Excellency marked
the wonderful change which had taken effect in her that night, and the
gentleman thenceforth waited closely on Ann and sued for her favor like
a