ened as she reached this conclusion, and
she wished that she knew how to help the two lonely youths whose
fates seemed now to be linked together.

Supper was in course, and the whole party assembled round the
table, when a knock at the outer door, heralded by a great barking
of dogs without, caused one of the men to start to his feet; whilst
Joan turned red and pale, as she had had a trick of doing of late;
and the farmer looked a trifle uneasy, as a man may do who is half
afraid of some domestic visitation of an unpleasing kind.

But when the door was opened, brows cleared and anxious looks
vanished; for the visitor was none other than the peddler of a few
days back, who, contrary to custom, had paid a second visit to the
village within a week of the first.

"Good even, good folks," he said, stepping in with his heavy bags,
which he deposited with a grunt upon the floor. "You will wonder to
see me so soon again, but I was turned from my course by the
breaking down of the bridge at Terling, and so I thought I would
tramp back the way I had come. Reaching the village at sundown, I
heard the news of the wedding that is to be up here; and, thought
I, surely where a wedding is to be the peddler is always welcome.
So here I am, and I doubt not you will give me a night's shelter;
and the pretty maid is welcome to turn over my packs at her
leisure, whilst I take my ease in yon cozy inglenook."

The peddler was always a welcome guest in those days, and Peter was
eagerly welcomed by all. He was speedily seated at the board, the
best of everything heaped upon his trencher; whilst as he talked
and ate at the same time, doing both with hearty goodwill, Joan and
one of the serving wenches slipped away to the tempting packs and
undid the strings, handling the wares thus exposed with tender care
and delighted curiosity.

The father laughed as he saw his daughter thus employed, but bid
her choose the finest stuff to make herself a wedding kirtle;
whilst he himself turned again to the peddler, asking news of the
realm; and young Edward leaned his elbows on the table with his
head in his hands, listening eagerly to every word that passed.

Paul almost wished he would not thus listen, for it was the same
old story everywhere: discontent at the present state of things;
longing for "the king"--by which was meant Edward the Fourth--to
come back and reclaim the kingdom; gloomy prognostications of civil
war; hopes that the proud Earl o