about old Mother Izan? The maids have been telling all sorts of foolish
tales about her enchantments. What has she been doing?"

The knight laughed, but not very mirthfully. "Nothing whatever, in my
opinion. But I may as well tell you--they say that she has overlooked the
mount so that we shall never be able to finish this corner of the wall. It
is vexatious, because I meant that nook for your garden. It is the only
place that is sheltered from the wind and at the same time has sunshine
and a good outlook. But the wall has thrice been all but finished, and
each time the stones have begun to sink and topple. This time Howel the
mason was nearly killed. Of course, a feeble bent old woman who can hardly
hobble ten rods cannot have undermined a wall at this distance. That is
absurd. But the panic the men have got into is not. That wall will have to
be finished--somehow."

Lady Philippa looked at the tumbled masses of stone. "It would be a
charming place for roses," she mused, and looked again at the cottage,
where beside the door a gleam of water caught the light. "That is the
spring they call the Fairies' Well."

"Yes; it is one of the oldest wells in this part of England. The water is
pure as the sunlight, and never fails. Hugh thinks it may be one of the
places the heathen priests held sacred. It is not so very long since the
people worshiped pagan gods."

The lady traced a pattern in the dust with the point of her slender shoe.
"I think," she said, "that I will take the children and ride over to see
Mother Izan."

The knight made no objection, for the country was quiet, and he could see