Why should the old witch dare thus to bring his darling's name into her rude songs, Jack would angrily ejaculate, but to annoy and terrify a poor innocent maiden, who had nought, and never should have aught, to do with the old castle and its ill-starred race! But Primrose laughed at his wrath, saying she had long since known that the old gipsy had destined her to an ill fate, since she would not confess what she had read in the lines of her hand, and that for her part she was far more inclined to wonder who might be the Lily, the partner of her woe, than to trouble her mind as to whether such woe were ever likely to befall herself. "For," said she with a smile, "since there would seem to be some in this world who must needs dwell side by side through a long lifetime with those they love not, methinks to die beside one I love would be far sweeter, and a fate to be craved in preference. What think you, dad?" "Thy life has been so sheltered, sweetheart," answered Jack; "what know you of life and its unhappy ones?" "I am growing old, dad," she answered, shaking her golden locks with an air of wisdom, "and since I have travelled with the Lady Bryn Afon I have learned many things I knew nought of before, and heard some few tales of this naughty world, by which I have seen that all in it is not so fair as I have thought, and that it is truly as our Prayer Book hath it, a 'troublesome world, full of waves and storms,' which words I have before often wondered over, finding it so little troublesome in this beautiful valley, full of flowers and birds and sunshine, and the love of so good a guardian!" "The waves and storms are for the wicked," said Jack, drowning, in his urgent desire to banish all shadows from his child's pathway, certain misgivings as to the truth of his theology. "I pray they may never buffet you, my darling!" But Primrose shook her head. "Our dear vicar preaches different doctrine, dad," she said seriously, "and says that such ills must needs afflict the righteous, that they may be chastened and purified like gold in the fire. And since I have thought of these things, it has seemed to me that I would fain not for ever dwell myself in the sunshine, since such may not be the lot of all, but that I would rather be chosen to side with the weak and sorrowful. And also I have feared lest, were I ever in the sunlight, it should be a sign to me that I must needs be counted unworthy to share in the sufferings of our Lord." Her voice fell reverently, and as Jack watched her and saw the dreamy, far-off look in those beautiful eyes, in which he noted every changing expression, a shiver passed over him, he scarce knew why, save that he could not bear the thought of any possible pain or sorrow in store for one so young and wondrous fair. "Methinks thou art already one of God's saints, my child!" he said fondly, yet half in sadness; "and thou hast surely been surrounded from thy cradle upwards by His good