Afon, and has done nought these many years past but wander over the countryside, inventing rude and scurrilous rhymes, and uttering evil prophesies which I trow are the promptings of the Wicked One." "Yet, if she has so suffered, I can but grieve for her," said Primrose thoughtfully. "I marvel, dad, that our earl's mother could so have trusted a stranger, however, with the care of her husband?" "The wench and her mother were fair-spoken, child," answered Jack; "even as he who, as our good vicar doth tell us, can appear betimes as an angel of light! And the poor lady of the castle, well-nigh distraught with her misery, was fain to grasp at any shadow of relief. Moreover, the tale goes that the gipsy wench gave out that she was a descendant of the far-famed doctors of Glyn Melen, and in possession of all their wondrous lore in medicine and disease, and, as you know, there is neither rich nor poor amongst us who doubts that some one or another of their descendants do verily to this day dwell in the mountain, and practise their arts of healing as of old. Wherefore it was not so passing strange that the lady of Bryn Afon should have given ready credence to the tale, having in her sorrow and misery but little heart to weigh the woman's merits over carefully. I doubt not that in mercy to the House of Bryn Afon, so evil-minded a woman was removed from this world ere a chance was permitted her of betraying the secret of the curse far and wide throughout the neighbourhood, which she would surely have been bold to do had she returned to her people, or seen again the face of the old witch, her mother." "Think you then that the curse will never be made known?" asked Primrose. "May none ever try to undo it? I would I were a man, that I might fight for its removal! Then at any cost I would strive to discover it, and do away with it for ever!" "But since thou art a gentle maiden, sweet one," said Jack, smiling fondly at her kindling face, "it is thy proper part to abide by thine unknown mother's commands, and to stifle thy natural curiosity in so far as never to seek knowledge of the matter against her will. Thou dost promise this?" he added earnestly. "Ay, dear dad," she answered; "I will willingly keep my mother's commands, and yours likewise, nor look down the dark avenue again, I promise you! But tell me one thing more. Can the curse fall on any who dwell without the castle walls--on me or you, or any of our villagers?" "Nay, my child, Heaven forbid!" exclaimed Jack, somewhat startled at the query. "Such a thing was never known, and I pray you think not of it. Why indeed can it be that thought, secretly preying on your little mind, which more than once of late has chased the colour from your cheek and the brightness from your eye, and caused you to shun your old dad, and think your troubled thoughts alone?" "I have thought of it," she answered, a deep blush suffusing her fair face,