lt question to answer. "Yes" would probably drive
Rubi away in anger--perhaps with a torrent of blasphemy on his lips.
"No" would be false and cowardly.

"I believe," said Gerhardt softly, "that He shall yet come to Zion, and
turn away iniquity from Jacob. May thou and I, Rubi, be ready to
welcome Him when He cometh!"

"You are better than yonder lot," answered Rubi, with a scornful wave of
his hand towards Carfax behind them. "Ay, I suppose the Blessed One has
some mercies even for Gentiles--decent ones such as you. Well, remember
you've been warned. Good night!"

"Good night, Rubi, and God go with thee!"

As Gerhardt stepped into the Walnut Tree, Isel's voice greeted him from
the top of the ladder leading to the upper chamber.

"Who is that--Gerard or Haimet?"

"It is I, Isel," said the German pastor.

"Well, now, don't put out your lantern, but do, like a good man, take
this girl back to the Castle. I've been on thorns how to get her back,
for I've kept her talking a bit too long, and there hasn't a creature
come near that I could ask. It's Leuesa, that Aliz de Norton spoke
about, and we've settled she's to be Derette's maid. It's a mercy
you've come just in time!"

"The next step!" said Gerhardt to himself with a smile. "Well, this at
least is no hard one."

The girl who came down the ladder and entrusted herself to Gerhardt's
escort, was very young-looking for an anchorhold: slim, fair, and frail
in appearance, with some timidity of manner. They set out for the
Castle.

"You know the girl who is to be my mistress?" asked Leuesa. "Will she
be easy or hard to serve?"

"Very easy, I think, so long as you obey her. She has a will of her
own, as you will find, if you do not."

"Oh dear, I don't want to disobey her! But I don't like to be scolded
at from morning to night, whether I do right or wrong."

"Derette will not treat you in that fashion. She has a good temper, and
is bright and cheerful."

"I am so glad to hear it! I get so tired--"

Leuesa suddenly broke off her sentence.

"You look young for the work," said Gerhardt.

"I am older than I look. At least, people say so. I am twenty-one."

"Dear! I should not have thought you eighteen."

"Oh yes, I am twenty-one," replied Leuesa, with a bright little laugh;
adding with sudden gravity, "I think I am much older than that in some
ways."

"Hast thou found life hard, poor child?" asked Gerhardt sympathisingly.

"Well, one g