nd
twisted, became the serpent of the brazen scales who sleepeth not,
guarding the Golden Fleece.

"As the tree falls so shall it lie," seemed to be the motto of La Sarthe
Chase. For none were removed.

Halcyone stretched out her arms and beckoned to her fairy friends.

"Queen Mab," she called, "come and dance nearer to me--I can see your
wings and I want to talk to you to-day!"

And as if in answer to this invitation, the rays of the lowered sun
shifted to an opening almost at her feet, and with a cry of joy the
child began to dance in the gorgeous light.

"Come follow, follow me, ye fairy elves that be," she sang softly.

And the sprites laughed with gladness, and gilded her mouse hair with
gold, and lit up her eyes, and wove scarves about her with gossamer
threads, and beneath her feet tall bluebells offered their heads as a
carpet.

But Halcyone sprang over them, she would not have crushed the meanest
weed.

"Queen Mab!" she said at last, as she sat down in the middle of the
sunlight, "I have found an old gentleman--and he is Cheiron, and if one
could see it in the right light, he may have a horse's body, and he is
going to teach me just what Jason learnt--and then I shall tell it to
you."

The rays shifted again to a path beyond, and Halcyone bounded up and
went on her way.

Old William was drawing the elder Miss La Sarthe in a dilapidated
basket-chair, up and down on the highest terrace. She held a minute
faded pink silk parasol over her head--it had an ivory handle which
folded up when she no longer needed the parasol as a shade. She wore
one-buttoned gloves, of slate-colored kid, and a wrist-band of black
velvet clasped with a buckle. An inverted cake-tin of weather-beaten
straw, trimmed with rusty velvet, shadowed her old, tired eyes; an
Indian shawl was crossed upon her thin bosom.

"Halcyone!" she called querulously. "Where have you been, child? You
must have missed your tea."

And Halcyone answered:

"In the orchard."

For of what use to inform Aunt Ginevra about that enchanting visit to
Cheiron! Aunt Ginevra who knew not of such beings!

"The orchard's let," grunted old William--"they do say it's sold--"

"I had rather not hear of it, William," said Miss La Sarthe frowning.
"It does not concern one what occurs beyond one's gates."

Old William growled gently, and continued his laborious task--one of the
wheels squeaked as it turned on the flags.

"Aunt Ginevra, you must have that oi