d if you will
accept a present as a recompense;" and Harry, giving the reins to
Algernon to hold, took out half-a-guinea, and offered it to their
hostess.

"You cannot bribe me to reverse the orders of fate," she shrieked out,
snatching the coin from his hand and throwing it into the fire, and
uttering a piercing shriek she frantically waved about her arms, now
high above her head, now pointing at them with threatening gestures,
till Algernon declared that he could stand it no longer. In vain Harry
entreated him to remain till the rain had altogether ceased.

The old woman shouted and shrieked louder and louder, encouraged
possibly by observing the effect her behaviour had produced on the
eldest of the brothers. At last the rain moderating, Algernon rushed
out of the hut.

"This is not to be endured," he exclaimed, as he mounted his horse.

Harry followed his example, and they rode up the glen as fast as the
rugged nature of the road would allow them, the wild shrieks and cries
of Mad Sal, as she watched them from the door of her hut, sounding in
their ears till they gained the open downs.

"I am glad we are out of hearing of that dreadful old creature," said
Algernon, as they galloped along. "I hope she will not prove a true
prophetess."

"I don't believe in wizards or witches," answered Harry, "although
sometimes by chance their predictions may appear to be fulfilled; and we
should be foolish if we allowed the nonsense she talked to weigh on our
spirits. I am very sure that the thread of our lives will not be cut
shorter from anything she can do, and she certainly will not make me the
less willing to go afloat, and fight as readily as I should have done
had we not fallen in with her. She has evidently some dislike to the
name of Castleton, and hearing us mention it, vented her feelings by
trying to frighten us."

"Poor woman, she is perfectly mad. I am curious to learn who she is,"
observed Algernon. "Perhaps Groocock or some of the Hurlston people may
know."

Although the rain had moderated, the young men were nearly wet through
before they had made their way across the down; and instead of stopping
at Hurlston, as they had intended, they rode on to Texford.

In spite of the exercise he had taken, Algernon complained of the cold,
and Harry observed that he shivered several times. As he, however,
hurried to his room immediately on his arrival, and changed his wet
things, his brother hoped he would