"Fairy Queen, I should like to kiss you," said the man suddenly. Then he
jerked his head back. "No, I wouldn't!" he added quickly to himself. "By
Jove, it's uncanny!"

Magda remained motionless, still staring at him with those long dark
eyes of hers. He noticed that just at the outer corners they slanted
upwards a little, giving her small, thin face a curiously Eastern look.

At last--

"Please kiss me, Saint Michael," she said.

For a moment he hesitated, a half-rueful, half-whimsical smile on his
lips, rather as though he were laughing at himself. Then, with a shrug
of his shoulders, he stooped quickly and kissed her.

"Witch-child!" he muttered as he strode away through the woods.



CHAPTER IV

THE SEED OF EVIL

Diane sat in the twilight, brooding. Winter had come round again,
gripping the world with icy fingers, and she shivered a little as she
crouched in front of the fire.

She felt cold--cold in body and soul. The passage of time had brought no
cheery warmth of love or loving-kindness to her starved heart, and the