unusual had happened. The road
finally ended in a forest meadow. It was a lovely spot, covered
with fresh green grass and many wild flowers. On one side rose a
steep mountain; the other sides were covered with high trees--mostly
mountain ash, with thick clusters of white blossoms, and here and
there was a group of birches and alders. A rather broad stream
gushed down the mountainside and wound its way through the meadow,
then went hurling down into a gap that was covered with dwarfed
trees and bushes.

Gertrude stood stock still; she knew the place at once. That stream
was Blackwater Brook, and strange tales were told of it. Sometimes,
when crossing this stream, people had clear visions of events that
were taking place elsewhere. A little lad, in crossing, once saw a
bridal procession which happened just then to be moving toward the
church far down in the village, and a charcoal burner once saw a
king, with crown and sceptre, ride to his coronation.

Gertrude's heart was in her mouth "God have mercy on me for what I
may see here!" she gasped, half tempted to turn back. "Poor little
me!" she wailed, feeling sorry for herself. "But I must--I must
cross here to fetch my cows."

"Dear Lord, don't let me see anything dreadful or bad!" she prayed,
her hands tightly clasped, and shaking from fright. "And don't let
me fall into temptation."

There was no doubt in her mind that she would see something; she
was so sure of it, in fact, that she hardly dared venture out upon
the stones that led across the brook. Yet something made her do it.
When halfway over, all at once she saw something moving in among
the trees on the other side of the brook. It was no bridal
procession, however, but a solitary man, who was slowly coming
toward the meadow.

The man was tall and young, and was dressed in a long black garment
that came to his feet. His head was uncovered, and his hair hung in
long black locks over his shoulders. He had a slender and very
beautiful face. He was coming straight toward Gertrude. In his
eyes, which were clear and radiant, there was a wonderful light;
and when his gaze fell upon Gertrude, she felt that he could read
all her sorrowful thoughts, and she saw that he pitied her whose
mind was haunted by fears of the paltry things of earth, whose soul
had become darkened by thoughts of revenge, and whose heart had
been sown with the thistles and poison flowers of Grief.

As he drew nigh, there came over Gertrude s