“Weel, as I was saying, there was not anither woman body about the house but hersel, and some servant women--neither mother, nor sister, nor friend; and the auld laird living solitary, and the young ane away in Flanders at the wars; so Leddy Violet ga’ed wandering about the water and the hills, her lane, and had an awfu’ wark wi’ this bit spring, and caused bring the very stane you’re sitting on, Missie,” (a thrill of strange interest passed over Lettie), “and came ilka day hersel, and drank the water in a silver cup, and sat upon the seat, with her ain thoughts for company, till the spirits that were in the world then, began to take note of her, and tell ane anither of the Lady at the Well. Some say she began to get wit of them hersel, and saw them watching her out of the trees; but ye maunna believe that, bairns, for it has nae foundation--no a hair of proof, to satisfy ony man that inquired into it.” “But there came a braw gentleman to the countryside that had a grand castle some way in the Lennox, and great friends among the Highland chiefs; and ae day, when he was gaun wandering by the links of Forth, he heard music in the air, and ga’ed on and on, following after it, till it led him by the very road we came this nicht, and brought him to where Leddy Violet was sitting by the well. And what should this be but a sma’ fairy, that had a lad hersel, nae doubt, and likit Leddy Violet, and didna ken what grand company guid thoughts were, but aye lamented ower the bonnie leddy, her lane and solitary in the wood. Ane canna tell now what kind of spirits thae fairies were, but nae doubt they had discrimination; for it even turned out sae, that the leddy hersel likit the braw lad’s company better than her ain thoughts.” “Eh, Dragon, are you sure there’s nae fairies now?” asked Katie Calder. “He’ll tell us the morn. I want to hear about the Lady, Dragon?” said the eager Violet. “I never saw ony,” said the old man, mysteriously, “whiles I’ve heard folk say--but I’ll no tell you that, or you’ll be feared.” “What is it, Dragon?” exclaimed both the children in a breath. “They say in moonlight nights, the fairies have a feast here, and get their wine out of the well; and that there’s aye some about in the gloaming spreading the tables; but they’ll no meddle wi’ ye, if you’re guid bairns.” Violet shaded her eyes with her hand, and looked intently under the brushwood, to one spot of bright reflected light upon the water. She did not speak, but with a shiver of fascination and awe watched the slender current steal away under the leaves, and devoutly believed that she had seen the golden vessels of the fairy feast; but even this did not make her forget the story, and again she repeated, “The lady, Dragon, the lady.”