stupid rogues at worst."
"Nay, but they are sly rogues at best!" retorted the old woman. "Thefirst that came, took me for a witch, and was moderately civil, but thesecond took away my stool and threatened to set the dogs at me."
"If this be so, I will have him cow-hided; but tell me--what would youwith me? Can I help you? Is it food that you want, or rest?"
"Truly it is both food and rest that I want, at the proper times, butwhat I want with you now, is to take me to your own room, and let metalk to you."
"That is a curious desire," returned Hafrydda, smiling, "but I will notdeny you. Come this way. Have you anything secret to tell me?" sheasked, when they were alone.
"Ay, that have I," answered the woman in her natural voice, throwing offher shawl and standing erect.
The princess remained speechless, for her friend Branwen stood beforeher.
"Before I utter a word of explanation," she said, "let me say that yourbrother is found, and safe, and well--or nearly so. This is the mainthing, but I will not tell you anything more, unless you give me yoursolemn promise not to tell a word of it all to any one, till I give youleave. Do you promise?"
Hafrydda was so taken aback that she could do nothing for some time butgaze in the girl's face. Then she laughed in an imbecile sort of way.Then she burst into tears of joy, threw her arms round her friend'sneck, hugged her tight, and promised anything--everything--that shechose to demand.
When, an hour later, the Princess Hafrydda returned to the breakfastroom, she informed the king and queen that the old woman was not abeggar; that she had kept her listening to a long story about lost menand women and robbers; that she was a thorough deceiver; that some ofthe servants believed her to be a witch, and that she had sent her away.
"With an invitation to come back again, I'll be bound," cried the king,interrupting. "It's always your way, my girl,--any one can impose onyou."
"Well, father, she _did_ impose on me, and I _did_ ask her to come backagain."
"I knew it," returned the king, with a loud laugh, "and she'll come, forcertain."
"She will, you may be quite sure of that," rejoined the princess with agleeful laugh, as she left the room.
About the same time, the little old woman left the palace and returnedto the hut of the Hebrew.
Here, as she expected, she found that her escort had flown, and, a briefinspection of their footprints showed that, instead of proceedingtowards the town, they had returned the way they came.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
FURTHER SEARCHINGS AND PERPLEXITIES.
While these events were taking place at court, the bold chief Gadarn wasranging the country far and wide in search of his daughter Branwen.
There was something in his manner which puzzled his followers not alittle, for he seemed to have changed his character--at least to haveadded to it a strange, wild hilarity which suggested the idea that heenjoyed the hunt and was in no hurry that it should come to an end.Those who knew him best began at last to fear that anxiety had unsettledhis reason, and Bladud, who liked the man's gay, reckless dispositionand hearty good-humour, intermingled with occasional bursts of fiercepassion, was not only puzzled but distressed by the wild inconsistencyof his proceedings. The Hebrew, knowing to some extent the cause ofwhat he did, and feeling bound by his promise to conceal his knowledge,was reduced to a state of mind that is not describable.
On the one hand there was the mystery of Cormac's total disappearance ina short walk of three miles. On the other hand, there was the utteruselessness of searching for Branwen, yet the urgent need of searchingdiligently for Cormac. Then there was the fear of consequences when thefiery Gadarn should come to find out how he had been deceived, orrather, what moderns might style humbugged; add to which he was debarredthe solace of talking the subject over with Bladud, besides being, inconsequence of his candid disposition, in danger of blurting out wordsthat might necessitate a revelation. One consequence was that, for thetime at least, the grave and amiable Hebrew became an abrupt,unsociable, taciturn man.
"What ails you just now, Beniah?" asked Bladud, one evening as theywalked together to Gadarn's booth, having been invited to supper. "Youseem out of condition mentally, if not bodily, as if some one had rubbedyou the wrong way."
"Do I?" answered Beniah, with a frown and something between a grin and alaugh. "Well, it is not easy to understand one's mental complaints,much less to explain them."
Fortunately their arrival at the booth put a timely end to theconversation.
"Ha! my long-legged prince and stalwart Hebrew!" cried the jovial chiefin a loud voice, "I began to fear that you had got lost--as folk seemprone to do in this region--or had forgotten all about us! Come in andsit ye down. Ho! varlet, set down the victuals. After all, you arejust in the nick of time. Well, Beniah, what think you of our searchto-day? Has it been close? Is it likely that we have missed any of thecaves or cliffs where robbers might be hiding?"
"I think not. It seems to me that we have ransacked every hole andcorner in which there is a chance that the lad could be found."
"The _lad_!" exclaimed Gadarn.
"I--I mean--your daughter," returned the Hebrew, quickly.
"Why don't you say what you mean, then? One expects a man of your yearsto talk without confusion--or is it that you are really more anxiousabout finding the boy than my girl?"
"Nay, that be far from me," answered the Hebrew. "To say truth, I am tothe full as anxious to find the one as the other, for it matters notwhich you--"
"Matters not!" repeated Gadarn, fiercely.
"Well, of course, I mean that my friendship for you and Bladud makes mewish to see you each satisfied by finding both the boy and the girl."
"For my part," said Bladud, quietly, "I sincerely hope that we may findthem both, for we are equally anxious to do so."
"Equally!" exclaimed Gadarn, with a look of lofty surprise. "Dost meanto compare your regard for your young friend with a father's love forhis only child!"
The prince did not easily take offence, but he could not refrain from aflush and a frown as he replied, sharply--
"I make no useless comparisons, chief. It is sufficient that we areboth full of anxiety, and are engaged in the same quest."
"Ay, the same quest--undoubtedly," observed the Hebrew in a grumbling,abstracted manner.
"If it were possible," returned Gadarn, sternly, "to give up the searchfor your boy and confine it entirely to my girl, I would do so. But asthey went astray about the same place, we are compelled, however littlewe like it, to hunt together."
"Not compelled, chief," cried Bladud, with a look and a flash in hisblue eye which presaged a sudden rupture of friendly relations. "We caneach go our own way and hunt on our own account."
"Scarcely," replied the chief, "for if you found my daughter, you wouldbe bound in honour to deliver her up; and if I found your boy, I shouldfeel myself bound to do the same."
"It matters not a straw which is found," cried the Hebrew, exasperatedat the prospect of a quarrel between the two at such an inopportunemoment. "Surely, as an old man, I have the right to remonstrate withyou for encouraging anything like disagreement when our success infinding the boy,--I--I mean the girl,--depends--"
A burst of laughter from the chief cut him short.
"You don't seem to be quite sure of what you mean," he cried, "or to beable to say it. Come, come, prince, if the Hebrew claims a right toremonstrate because he is twenty years or so older than I am, surely Imay claim the same right, for I am full twenty years older than you. Isit seemly to let your hot young blood boil over at every trifle? Here,let me replenish your platter, for it is ill hunting after man, woman,or beast without a stomach full of victuals."
There was no resisting the impulsive chief.
Both his guests cleared their brows and laughed--though there was stilla touch of exasperation in the Hebrew's tone.
While the search was being thus diligently though needlessly prosecutedin the neighbourh
ood of the Hot Swamp by Gadarn, who was dearly fond ofa practical joke, another chief, who was in no joking humour, paid avisit one evening to his mother. Perhaps it is unnecessary to say thatthis chief was Gunrig.
"From all that I see and hear, mother," he said, walking up and down theroom, as was his habit, with his hands behind him, "it is clear that ifI do not go about it myself, the king will let the matter drop; for heis convinced that the girl has run off with some fellow, and will easilymake her way home."
"Don't you think he may be right, my son?"
"No, I don't, my much-too-wise mother. I know the girl better thanthat. It is enough to look in her