avoiding."

As they continued to press him, he said at last, to throw them off
the scent: "Fortune is playing me strange tricks in these days.
There is a girl I have a mind to win, but I cannot come at her.
Something always stands in my way."

"Maybe the maiden does not love you?" said Sir Reginald.

"I surely think her heart is disposed toward me," said Sir Archie;
"but there is something watching over her, so that I cannot win
her."

Then Sir Reginald and Sir Philip began to laugh and said: "Never
fear, we'll get you the girl."

That evening Elsalill was walking alone up the lane, coming from
her work. She was tired and thought to herself: "This is a hard
life and I find no joy in it. It sickens me to stand all day in
the reek of fish. It sickens me to hear the other women laugh and
jest in their rude voices. It sickens me to see the hungry gulls
fly above the tables trying to snatch the fish out of my hands.
Oh, that someone would come and take me away from here! I would
follow him to the world's end."

When Elsalill had reached the darkest part of the lane, Sir
Reginald and Sir Philip came out of the shadow and greeted her.

"Mistress Elsalill," they said, "we have a message for you from
Sir Archie. He is lying sick at the inn. He longs to speak with