castle, standing imperiously before him.

"From York," answered the stranger, briefly. "Hast thou a leech that
can care for my dog? See how he bleeds."

"Oh, ay," was the answer. "But how came he wounded? He hath been
deer-stealing, perchance, and the ranger hath discovered him."

"Nay," replied the strange lad, in tones the echo of his questioner's.
"Thou doest Fleetfoot wrong. We were but pursuing our way when from
yonder thicket to the north and adjoining the open, a flight of arrows
came. I had been sped myself but for my shirt of mail."

The leech had now advanced and was caring skilfully for the dog while
the strange lad looked on, now and then laying a caressing hand on the
hound's head.

Meanwhile the men-at-arms conferred together and exchanged wise looks
while a stout and clumsy Saxon serving-man of about forty shook his
head. "I did dream of an earthquake no longer ago than night before
last," he said, "which is a dream that doth ever warn the dreamer and
all concerned with him to be cautious and careful. Here cometh riding
the twin of our young lord: and the Evil One only knoweth how this
stranger hath the nose, the eyes, the mouth, the complexion, the gait,
the size, and the voice of our young lord, Josceline De Aldithely.
Thinkest thou not, William Lorimer, it were cautious and careful to put
him and his hound outside the walls, to say nothing of his horse?"

William Lorimer, the captain of the men-at-arms, smiled in derision. A
great belief in dreams and omens was abroad in the land: and nowhere