b at
Peniel."

"Take care, or he will put your thigh out of joint, as he did Jacob's."

"Let him, if it is his will."

With that Manasseh turned his face to the wall, on the other side of
which lay Blanka, who likewise turned her face to the wall, and so they
both fell asleep.

And the Lord blessed them and spake to them: "I am Jehovah, almighty.
Increase and be fruitful. From your seed shall spring peoples and races;
for you have prevailed with God, and shall prevail also with men."

CHAPTER XV.

BALYIKA CAVE.

The sun rises late in November. When Blanka awoke, every one else in the
house was already up. Manasseh met her with the announcement that their
journey was thenceforth to be on horseback, at which she was as pleased
as a child. So that explained why their carriage-horses had been
saddled.

In the kitchen a plentiful breakfast stood ready,--hot milk, bacon
spiced with paprika, snow-white mountain honey, long-necked bottles of
spirits distilled from various fruits, cheeses rolled up in the fragrant
bark of the fir-tree,--all of which was new to Blanka and partaken of by
her with the keenest relish, to the great satisfaction of her host. What
was left on the table by his guests he packed up and made them carry
away with them, assuring them it would not come amiss.

Zenobia was to guide the travellers on their way. Blanka laughed with
delight as she mounted her horse. At first she found it strange enough
to sit astride like a man, but when she saw the stately Wallachian
maiden thus mounted, she overcame her scruples and even thought it great
fun. The little mountain horses were so steady and sure-footed that it
was like being rocked in a cradle to ride one of them.

The two young women rode ahead, while the men lingered behind a moment
to drink a stirrup-cup with their host, who would not let them go
without observing this ceremony. Entering the forest, Blanka accosted
her companion.

"Zenobia, call me 'Blanka,' and speak Hungarian with me. You spoke it
well enough in your sleep last night."

The Wallachian girl drew rein abruptly and crossed herself. "Holy
Virgin!" she whispered, "don't lisp a word of what you heard me say, and
don't ask me about it, either."

They rode on side by side up the slope of the mountain. Blanka was in
high spirits. The turf was silvered with hoar frost, except here and
there where the direct rays of the sun had melted it and exposed the
grass beneath, which loo