The party then sat down to breakfast beneath the trees, and the talk
fell upon Herne the Hunter, and his frequent appearance of late in the
forest (for most of the keepers had heard of or encountered the
spectral huntsman); and while they were discussing this topic, and a
plentiful allowance of cold meat, bread, ale, and mead at the same
time, two persons were seen approaching along a vista on the right,
who specially attracted their attention and caused Morgan Fenwolf to
drop the hunting-knife with which he was carving his viands, and start
to his feet.

The new-comers were an old man and a comely young damsel. The
former, though nearer seventy than sixty, was still hale and athletic,
with fresh complexion, somewhat tanned by the sun, and a keen grey
eye, which had lost nothing of its fire. He was habited in a stout
leathern doublet, hose of the same material, and boots rudely fashioned
out of untanned ox-hide, and drawn above the knee. In his girdle was
thrust a large hunting-knife; a horn with a silver mouthpiece depended
from his shoulder, and he wore a long bow and a quiver full of arrows at
his back. A flat bonnet, made of fox-skin and ornamented with a
raven's wing, covered his hair, which was as white as silver.

But it was not upon this old forester, for such his attire proclaimed him,
that the attention of the beholders, and of Morgan Fenwolf in especial,
was fixed, but upon his companion. Amongst the many lovely and high-
born dames who had so recently graced the procession to the castle
were few, if any, comparable to this lowly damsel. Her dress--probably
owing to the pride felt in her by her old relative was somewhat superior
to her station. A tightly-laced green kirtle displayed to perfection her
slight but exquisitely-formed figure A gown of orange-coloured cloth,
sufficiently short to display her small ankles, and a pair of green