on.

And so they went, creeping through the hole in the paling like two
brigands on a marauding expedition.

"There used to be deer when I first came five years ago," Halcyone said.
"I remember them quite well, and their sweet little fawns; but the next
winter was that horribly cold one, and there was no hay to be put out to
them--my Aunts La Sarthe are very poor--and some of them died, and in
the summer the Long Man came and talked and talked, and Aunt Roberta had
red eyes all the afternoon, as she always does when he comes, and Aunt
Ginevra pretended hers were a cold in her head--and the week after a lot
of men arrived and drove all the tender, beautiful creatures into
corners, and took them away in carts with nets over them--the does--but
the bucks had pieces of wood because their horns would have torn the
nets."

Her delicate lips quivered a moment, as though at a too painful
memory--then she smiled.

"But one mother doe and her fawn got away--and I knew where they were
hiding, but I did not tell, of course--and now there are four of them,
or perhaps five. But they are very wild and keep in the copses, and fly
if they see anyone coming. They don't mind me, of course, but strangers.
The mother remembers that awful day, I expect."

"No doubt," said Cheiron; "and who is the 'Long Man' you spoke of as
having instigated this outrage?"

"He is the man of business, he was the bailiff once, but is a house
agent now in Applewood. And whenever he comes something has to go--we
all dread it. Last Michaelmas it was the Chippendale dining-room
chairs--"

"I know him then--I bought my cottage from him. I suppose all this is
necessary, because he seemed an honest fellow."

"Someone long ago made it necessary--it is not the Aunts' fault--" and
then Halcyone stopped abruptly and pointed to the beech avenue which
they were approaching now through the bracken, brown and crisp from last
year, with only here and there a green shoot showing.

"Queen Mab and the elves live there in May and early June," she said.
"They dance every afternoon as the sun sets, and sometimes in the dawn,
too, and the early morning. You can see them if you keep quite still."

"Naturally," said Cheiron.

"Do you know, since last winter I have had a great pleasure," and
Halcyone's grave, intent eyes looked up into the old gentleman's face.
"There was a terrible storm in February--but can you really keep a
secret?"--and then, as he nodded his head ser