No living being met her eye; and, ashamed of her cowardice, she resumed her seat.

The tremulous cry of her little grey squirrel, a pet which she had tamed and taught to run to her and nestle in her bosom, attracted her attention.
"What aileth thee, wee dearie ?" she said, tenderly, as the timid little creature crept, trembling, to her breast.

"Thy mistress has scared thee by her own foolish fears.

See now, there is neither cat-a-mount nor weasel here to seize thee, silly one;" and as she spoke she raised her head, and flung back the thick clusters of soft fair hair that shaded her eyes.

The deadly glare of a pair of dark eyes fixed upon her met her terrified gaze, gleaming with sullen ferocity from the angle of the door-post, whence the upper part of the face alone was visible, partly concealed by a mat of tangled, shaggy, black hair.