she had let them fall in the Duke's garden, but this was
closer and more stirring. As he knelt on the heather he felt himself a
worshipper of ancient days, and her the goddess of long-lost times. An
uplifting was in his eyes; it would have been great and beautiful to any
one that could have understood, but her it only vexed. When he handed
back the cup she tossed it from her. It broke--sad omen!--on their first
hearthstone. "That'll do," said she shortly, "it's time we were going."
And she gathered hastily the remains of their breakfast and made for a
departure.

He surveyed her dubiously, wondering why she so abruptly checked the
advances he could swear she had challenged.

"I am sorry I vexed you," he stammered. She brought down her brows
questioningly. There was something pleasant and tempting though
queenlike and severe in her straightened figure standing over him curved
and strong and full, her screen fallen to her waist, a strand of her
hair blown about her cheek by a saucy wind.

"Vexed?" she queried, and then smiled indifferent. "What would I be
vexed at? We are finished, are we not? Must we be burdening ourselves
unnecessarily going on a road you neither know the length or nature of?"

And without a word more they proceeded towards the shealing that was to
be the end of their adventure.

CHAPTER XXX--AMONG THE HEATHER

Old Elasaid met them at the door. She was a woman with eyes profound
and piercing under hanging brows, a woman grey even to the colour of her
cheeks and the checks of the gown that hung loosely on her gaunt figure.
It was with no shealing welcome, no kind memory of the old nurse even,
she met them, but stood under her lintel looking as it were through them
to the airt of the country whence they had come. She passed the time of
day as if they had been strangers, puckering her mouth with a sort of
unexpressed disapproval. They stood before her very much put out at a
reception so different from what they had looked for, and Gilian knew
that there must be something decisive to say but could not find it in
his head.

"Well," said the old woman at last, "this'll be the good man, I'm
thinking?" But still she had that in her tone, a sour dissatisfaction
that showed she had her doubts.

Gilian was not unhappy at the assumption, but felt warm, and Nan
reddened.

"Not at all," she answered with some difficulty. "It's just a friend who
convoyed me up."

"Well I kent it," said the old woman