ly Grig.

About the figure, as it sped along the road, was a long black cloak,
over its head was drawn a wide French cap, and over the face was a
black mask, but on the lips, under the mask, were the words of Lord
Farquhart's song to Sylvia, the song wherein the name of Sylvia had so
lately given place to Barbara.

Hearts that beat with love so true!
Barb'ra, sweet, I come to you!

IV.

The exchange of confidences between the two young men lasted for a few
moments more. Then Ashley, examining the fastenings of his sword belt,
exclaimed:

"Assuredly the Lady Barbara must arrive soon, whatever the state of
the roads may be. I will go and look to the men and horses. Doubtless
the former are as mad as their masters, and, doubtless, too, they have
consumed as much of Marmaduke's heady wine."

Lindley, left to himself, drew a letter from some place not far
distant from his heart and read it.

It was written in a clerkly hand, and was, for the first part, clearly
a dictation.

I regret to say, my dear Cecil, that I can give you no better
word from my daughter, Judith. She declares roundly that she
will have nothing to do with you, that she will not listen to
your suit, and she commands me to advise you to put her out of
your head for all time. I cannot, as you know, say aught against
my girl.

"I should not let him if he would."

In her duty to me she is all that I could ask, but in every
other respect her madcap moods seem but to grow upon her. She
spends much of her time shut up in her own room, and I have
discovered quite recently that she rides much alone--through our
own forests only, however. I would not for the world convey to
you the idea that Judith is indiscreet. She has stripped from
the trappings of her horse every sign of our name and
station--or so the stable boys have reported to me. And not ten
days since one of the maids ran to me in a great pother and told
me that Mistress Judith was stamping about her chamber, behind
locked doors, conversing at the top of her voice with herself or
with the empty air. When I took her to task on the subject she
explained that she was merely rehearsing to join some play
actors she had seen performing on the common. Neither locks nor
bars will hold her, for I have tried both. I would not dare to
coerce her in any smallest degree, for I know not what might
happen. So