The Black Horseman had ever been an inscrutable being, and never did he show himself more so than when, a week or so after the visit of the vicar and Primrose to Caer Caradoc, the latter, on his arrival late one evening at the cottage, presented him with the letter to her mother, upon which hung such new and exciting issues, telling him with much eagerness of its contents. She had hoped he would show great surprise and wonderment at this strange new turn in her fortunes, and be perplexed equally with herself and her foster-father at the interest thus curiously shown in her by a great and almost unknown lady. But the muscles of the Black Horseman's face relaxed nothing of their immovable gravity as he listened, and the piercing black eyes which he turned on Primrose, when she had concluded her tale, conveyed nothing beyond their usual intense scrutiny, whereby they seemed indeed to read her very soul, yet revealing no emotion of his own the while. "Are you not surprised?" cried Primrose, stamping her foot with impatience. "Methought I could at last tell you news that would startle you! Are you ever ready, good sir, to hear all things without surprise or wonder? I would I could take you unawares just once only, and make you put off that inscrutable face you wear, and perchance let fall some of your secrets! Your face is ever full of secrets, yet I could as soon drag good Master Jones into our little church on the hillside yonder as drag one of them out of your heart!" The Black Horseman stroked his fierce iron-grey moustache, and smiled at the girl's mock wrath--that rare smile which her winning ways alone seemed able to summon to his stern countenance. "It would be an unfaithful servant who should suffer himself to be taken unawares," he said; "also, were you of my age, fair Primrose, and an experienced physician to boot, you must needs be full of secrets. Methinks some part of our mother Eve's curiosity hath fallen even to your share!" Primrose blushed. "My life has an unfair share of mysteries, dear sir," she said with a smile, "and I think I may be pardoned if I have also an undue share of curiosity! But now I am at rest on one of those points over which I have pondered, for I know you to be a learned physician. Thus far you have betrayed yourself!"