"No, your Highness," said Sabrina. "We had finished for the day." "Egad! A good finish too. I myself witnessed the kill, and never saw handsomer. Your peregrines are noble birds, and well trained to their work. Ah! you have a merlin, too. Pretty creature?" By chance the merlin was perched upon the neck of Vaga's palfrey; and, while speaking, the Prince had drawn close up, as if to get a nearer view of it. But his eyes were on the girl's face instead, and the "pretty creature" seemed an apostrophe to her rather than the bird. For it was spoken with peculiar emphasis, and in a subdued tone, as if he did not desire her sister to hear it. Nor did she, having become engaged in conversation with Captain Trevor, some distance apart. "She's very clever," rejoined Vaga, referring to the merlin, and without appearing to notice the gaze directed upon her,--"can kill everything she's cast-off at." "Ah!" sighed the Prince. "Fatal to all the larks and buntings, just as the eyes of her mistress must be to all men." She looked at him with a puzzled expression. What a strange remark to make about her sister, whom he could never have seen, save that once as they passed him going out of Bristol! But she understood it, on his adding,-- "The little beauty is yours, I take it?" "No, your Highness," she answered, without making any allusion to the implied compliment, though its _braverie_ jarred upon her ear. "The merlin belongs to my sister. The peregrines are mine." "Happy peregrines!" he exclaimed, pretending to apostrophise the two great falcons, that, now hooded, had been returned to their kedge. "How I should like to be one of you! Ay; would consent to be held in leash for life, could I but hope for caresses, such as you receive from the hands of your beautiful mistress. Ah! that must be sweet?" There could be no mistaking the character of speech like this, rude even to impertinence. It brought the red into the young girl's cheeks, and she would have angrily resented it, but was restrained by the caution late received from her sister. Still, to let it pass unnoticed was out of the question, and would likely lead to her being yet further insulted. Making an effort to curb her kindling indignation, she rejoined, calmly as she could,-- "Such language may befit the fine Court ladies, with whom your Highness is accustomed to hold conversation. We simple country girls are not used to it." Regardless of modest manners, even of common decency, as was this German Prince, he felt the rebuke, and quailed under it. For the glance of quiet scorn that went with the words told him he was putting on airs, and paying compliments to no purpose. In that quarter all would be thrown away. With a light laugh he endeavoured to conceal his discomfiture, saying apologetically,--