drowning."

The girl looked thoughtfully at Walter. "I don't think you would care for
presents," she said; "and you look as if a sword or a horse would suit you
better than a girl's gift. And yet I should like to give you something,
such as ladies give their knights who have done brave deeds for them. It
must be something quite my own, and you must take it as a keepsake. What
shall it be, mamma?"

"Give him the bracelet which your cousin gave you last week," her mother
said; "I would rather that you did not keep it, and I know you are not very
fond of him."

"I can't bear him," the girl said earnestly, "and I wish he would not kiss
me; he always looks as if he were going to bite, and I will gladly give his
bracelet to this brave boy."

"Very well, Edith, fetch the bracelet from that coffer in the corner."

The girl went to the coffer and brought out the little bracelet, then she
approached Walter.

"You must go down on your knee," she said; "true knights always do that to
receive their lady's gifts. Now hold out your hand. There," she went on in
a pretty imperious way, "take this gage as a reward of your valour, and act
ever as a true knight in the service of your lady."

Bending down she dropt a kiss upon Walter's glowing cheek, and then, half
frightened at her own temerity, ran back to her mother's side.