knowledge, which as confidante of the latter she had obtained, that her
brother was master of her heart. Lady Mary was dressed in blue velvet,
cut and lined with cloth of gold, and wore a headgear of white velvet,
ornamented with pearls.

Just as the cavalcade came in sight of Datchet Bridge, the Duke of
Richmond turned his horse's head, and rode up to the side of the
chariot on which the Fair Geraldine was sitting.

"I am come to tell you of a marvellous adventure that befell Surrey in
the Home Park at Windsor last night," he said. "He declares he has
seen the demon hunter, Herne."

"Then pray let the Earl of Surrey relate the adventure to us himself,"
replied the Fair Geraldine. "No one can tell a story so well as the hero
of it."

The duke signed to the youthful earl, who was glancing rather wistfully
at them, and he immediately joined them, while Richmond passed over
to the Lady Mary Howard. Surrey then proceeded to relate what had
happened to him in the park, and the fair Geraldine listened to his
recital with breathless interest.

"Heaven shield us from evil spirits!" she exclaimed, crossing herself.
"But what is the history of this wicked hunter, my lord? and why did he
incur such a dreadful doom?"

"I know nothing more than that he was a keeper in the forest, who,
having committed some heinous crime, hanged himself from a branch
of the oak beneath which I found the keeper, Morgan Fenwolf, and