with thee, I have walked
into the trap once, and will not again, if I may help it. Now I know
not what thou art; for all I know thou mayst be a bit of bait of my
foes, or even a sending from evil things. Nor hast thou said any word
why specially I should come with thee."

She was still standing close to him, and now she laid her hand on his
breast and said: "This I say as a last word, and thou must take it how
thou wilt. If thou dost not come with me now, thou shalt rue it only
once, to wit, all thy life long."

He looked on her and knit his brows, and said at last: "Well it is
little to throw away the end of my life, and there may be some tidings
or tracks of tidings to be found. I will go with thee, dame. Only this
time," he muttered, "let there be no coming to life again."

"Thou art wise," said the carline; "let us lose no time." So they set
off, and up and down by rough and smooth, till the wood was quite
dark, and the stars were overhead when they came to a clearing, and
sweet was the peace of the May night. At last they saw before them a
glimmer of light, which as they wound about became presently a little
window, yellow-litten, and casting its light upon a space of
greensward and a little tinkling brook.

So came they to a little cot, seemly enough thatched with reed from
the woodland meres. Osberne made up toward the door, but the carline
put forth her hand and thrust him back, and said: "Not yet; abide
where thou art a minute;" and straightway fell to going withershins
round the house. This she did three times, while Osberne gat his
anlace bare in his hand.

At last the carline came to him, and spake softly to him in his ear:
"All is free now, Dalesman, come thou!" And she took him by the hand
and opened the door, and lo, a little hall like many another cot, but
clean and sweet and comely. Now Osberne had pulled his hood about his
face again, and looked round; for as often happens when one enters a
chamber, the child of Adam therein is the last thing one sees. Then he
drew back a little, and stood there trembling. For what was in the
chamber besides the simple plenishing was a maiden who stood up to
receive them; tall she was and slender, clad in a dark blue gown; her
hair dark red and plenteous, her eyes grey, her chin round and lovely,
her cheeks a little hollow, and in the hollow of them entreaty and all
enticement: she stood looking shyly at the newcomer, of whose face she
might see but little. The c