assembled, and the supper awaiting them. Let us leave them to its
enjoyment, and return once more to the village of Charlemont.






CHAPTER III

THE STRONG-MINDED WOMAN.





The young maiden last met by our travellers, and whose appearance
had so favorably impressed them, had not been altogether uninfluenced
by the encounter. Her spirit was of a musing and perhaps somewhat
moody character, and the little adventure related in our last
chapter, had awakened in her mind a train of vague and purposeless
thought, from which she did not strive to disengage herself. She
ceased to pursue the direct path back to Charlemont, the moment she
had persuaded herself that the strangers had continued on their way;
and turning from the beaten track, she strolled aside, following the
route of a brooklet, the windings of which, as it led her forward,
were completely hidden from the intrusive glance of any casual
wayfarer. The prattle of the little stream as it wound upon its
sleepless journey, contributed still more to strengthen the musings
of those vagrant fancies that filled the maiden's thoughts.