other. Fear not that my base mechanical blood shall
ever sully your noble strain; but mean though I be, my habit is a
tolerably truthful one, and I tell you once and for all that I sent you
no cup, I made you no posset, I desired no health drunk by you."

"Nay, then, what hath this girl Desire wrought? And truth to tell
Priscilla, I fear me 't is poison, for a shrewd pain seizeth me ever and
anon, and a strange heaviness is in my head."

"And there's a sultry color on your cheek--nay, then, we'll see the
surgeon"--

"And thou 'lt forgive whatever I have said amiss, Priscilla, for mayhap
I'll trouble thee no more. Like enough she hath revenged herself"--

"For your scorn of her love," interposed Priscilla vivaciously. "Like
enough, like enough. Come to the house, Captain, and let us take counsel
with the dear mother. She still knows best."

"Go thou, Priscilla. It hardly beseems a man and a soldier to seek
redress for a wench's love scratch at the hands of an old woman--nay,
nay, fire not up afresh! No one can honor Mistress Brewster more than I
do, but tell me, is she a man or is she young? Sooth now, Priscilla!"

"And still in thy masterful mood thou 'lt have the last word, doughty
Captain. But go you home, then, and bid John Alden make a fire and heat
a good kettle of water, and I'll away to the mother who will deal with
Desire in short measure."

"'T is good counsel and I'll follow it, for in sober sadness I feel
strangely amiss." And the soldier, who now was as livid as he had been
flushed, strode away up the hill, while Priscilla picking up the
trenchers fled like a lapwing into the house where she found Desire
seated sullenly in a corner, while the elder, his wife, and the governor
were gathered together near the fire cozily discussing the events of
the day. Standing before them and restraining her natural vivacity that
it might not discredit the importance of her story, Priscilla in brief
and pungent phrases told the story of the loving draught, and as Desire
rose and stole toward the door laid a hand upon her arm that effectually
detained her until the elder sternly said,--

"Remain you here, Desire Minter, until this report is sifted."

"Were it not well to send at once for our good physician, that he may
know what hath been done before he sees the captain?" suggested Bradford
mildly, and the elder assenting, Priscilla was dispatched for doctor
Fuller, who arrived within the minute, and listened with p