ith these two assistants. Farewell! And,"--he whispered
in her ear--"heed my words: never defy the man you call your Duke; for
he is--_he_!"

He patted her hair and her pretty round head with rough tenderness as
he spoke, and then sprang toward the west along the lake shore. Once he
stopped to look after her--he wanted to wave another farewell. But
Bissula did not see him. She was running, with glowing cheeks, up the
hill.

CHAPTER LIX.

It was now broad daylight. The sun was shining radiantly on the
mountain and the lake. Light clouds which hitherto had hung like a veil
thrown over a long spear about the peak of Sentis floated swiftly down
into the valley. During the night a light snow had fallen upon Sentis
and Toedi and the other topmost peaks in the chain, and lay there
glittering like sparkling crystal. It was very peaceful. The
war--thanks to Bissula--had not brought its destruction here. Hoar
frost flashed on every blade of grass.

The child of the forest, so long shut out from lake, meadow, and field,
rejoiced in the freedom of nature. She inhaled long draughts of the
pure air; nay, in spite of her impatience, she even turned once and,
standing still, gazed out over the shining azure lake and the peaks of
the mountains radiant in white and gold.

"I do not know how to call you all by name, ye beloved gods, who have
guided everything so happily for me, aided me upon land and water, and
are now shining in the sunlight and the glory of the mountains! And
Adalo lives: that is the best, the very best of all that ye have done.
Ye gods, I do not know you all, but I thank every one of you!"

She stretched her arms toward the sun. Then, that the goddess of the
lake and Donar, the King of the mountains, whose throne was on Sentis,
might not be angry, she saluted the water and the mountains, with both
hands, raising and lowering them as one waves a greeting to a friend
recognized at a distance. Again she ran impatiently up the hill side.
Most of the singing birds had left the lake long before; but one little
robin which always remained there all winter recognized the friendly
being who often scattered food for it on the snow, and, greeting her
with a light chirping, flew a few paces in front of her until she
reached the door of the hall.

* * * * *

Within the great central room Adalo lay on the floor upon a pile of
soft skins, his head toward t