giving his curl a toss. "It was the night I came away from Joppa. I
had been taking tea with William Bradwell's folks, and stayed rather
late in the evening, playing for the young folks, singing old songs,
and one thing and another. It was ten o'clock when I said good-night
and stepped out of the house and along the road. 'T was a fine night,
bright moonlight, and everything shining like silver. I'd had a
pleasant evening, and I felt right cheered up as I passed along,
sometimes talking a bit to the Lady, and sometimes she to me; for I'd
left her case at the house, seeing I should pass by again in the
morning, when I took my way out of the place.

"Well, sir,--I beg your pardon; _ladies_, I should say,--as I came
along a strip of the road with the moon full on it, but bordered with
willow scrub,--as I came along, sudden a man stepped out of those
bushes, and told me to stand and throw up my hands.--Don't be
frightened, Melody," for the child had taken his hand with a quick,
frightened motion; "have no fear at all! I had none. I saw, or felt,
perhaps it was, that he had no pistols; that he was only a poor sneak
and bully. So I said, 'Stand yourself!' I stepped clear out, so that
the light fell full on my face, and I looked him in the eye, and
pointed my bow at him. 'My name is De Arthenay,' I said. 'I am of
French extraction, but I hail from the Androscoggin. I am known in
this country. This is my fiddle-bow; and if you are not gone before I
can count three, I'll shoot you with it. One!' I said; but I didn't
need to count further. He turned and ran, as if the--as if a regiment
was after him; and as soon as I had done laughing, I went on my way to
the tavern."

All laughed heartily at the old man's story; but when the laughter
subsided, Melody begged him to take "the Lady," and play for her. "I