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Now in a while, he started to feel a hand aentle; wherefore, wondering, he raised his head, but behold, the sun was gone and the shadows deepening to night Yet even so, he stared and thrilled 'tonder and fear to see Sir Fidelis bending over him

"Fidelis!" he murmured, "and is it thee in truth,--or do I drea hast lain thus? I did but noake from my swoon Is it thy hurt?--suffer me to look"

"Nay, 'tis of none account, but I did dream thee--dead--Fidelis!"

"Ah, one deep! Sit you thus, thy back against the tree--so Within my wallet I have a salve--wait you here" So, whiles Beltane stared dreamily upon the twilit river, Sir Fidelis hasted up the bank and was back again, the wallet by his side, whence he took a phial and goblet and ht which dreamy Beltane perforce uor fell fro the ugly gash that showed beneath his knee Now as he watched these busy, skilful fingers he knew a sudden, uneasy qualht aloud: "Thy hands are wondrous--small and slender, Sir Fidelis!"

"Belike, er some day"

"Yet are they wondrous fair--and soft--and white, Fidelis!"

"Mayhap, h and brown and hairy anon--so content you"

"Yet wherefore are they so soft, Fidelis, and so--maid-like? And wherefore--"

"See you, e lie, fast-knotted--so Nor , Sir Fidelis arose, and taking the wallet in one hand and setting the other 'neath Beltane's ar s, a fire burned cheerily, whereby were two beds of scented bracken

Dark and darker the shadows crept down, deepening to a night soft and warm and very still, whose quietude was unbroken save for the drowsy lap and murmur of the river and the sound the war-horse Mars uorous content lay Beltane, despite the s of his wound, what time Sir Fidelis careat and silent wilderness, they supped together, and, while they supped, Beltane looked oft upon Sir Fidelis, heedful of every trick of raceful hand as he ne'er had been ere now Wherefore Sir Fidelis grew red, grew pale, was by turns talkative and silent, and was fain to withdraw into the shadows beyond the fire And frorew bold to question him