safety, and their children after them." "I echo your wish," said the earl, with a laugh. "Whence came to you this lucky thought, old friend, of building a bridge?" "When my daughter was but a little child, my lord," answered Jack, "and I asked her on one of her birthdays what I should do for her, she said to me, 'Build me a bridge over the river, father,' not thinking but that I could do aught she set her heart upon, and having had long since some childish fancy to run to and fro across the river on a bridge of her own. So when she was dead and gone, and I had nought left in the world on which to spend my savings, her words came back to me, and though her feet would ne'er walk over it, I made up my mind to build a bridge for love of her, and surely it was just the making of it whatever that kept this poor brain of mine from turning at the loss of her!" "Well?" said the earl, as the boatman paused. "She died a victim to her curiosity, my lord," said Jack, with a heavy sigh. "I hold that curiosity hath been the downfall of woman since the days of our first parent, but that my own pretty lamb should fall a victim to the sin was indeed ever far from my thoughts!" and Jack brushed away a tear with his rough hand. "She lost her mother, you see, my lord, when she was but a young child, and perchance it may have been from my scarce knowing the best way to train her, that she grew up so high-spirited, and was wild and wilful in her ways. But indeed, I doubt not that she forgot her father's warning, and meant no disobedience, when she went, poor pretty little thing, to her death." "Well?" said the earl again, as Jack paused, fearing lest he were making too free with his noble friend. "You know the underground passage, my lord," said Jack, "which leads from Bryn Afon to Caer Caradoc yonder, passing likewise through Craig Arthur on its way? My daughter was wont at times to pass some few weeks at Caer Caradoc with a friend of her poor mother's, who was housekeeper to the family--for they were ofttimes at the Court, or in foreign parts, and she was pleased to have my little girl with her for company,--and so the child heard all manner of foolish tales from the servants about the wonderful passage, and her poor silly little head became full of the notion that she must needs some day venture therein by herself, and explore its secrets, unknown to them all. I forbade her ever to do such a thing, on pain of such displeasure as she had never yet seen from her father; but some seven years gone by, when she had but just turned her twenty-first birthday, and was over young and giddy for her years, she went again to the castle, and alas, my lord, her curiosity then did verily get the better of her, and forgetting her old dad's warning, she went, unknown to any in the house, into the dark passage. She never had fear in her heart of aught you could name, and doubtless she thought it would be a fine thing to go