"Ay, ay. Well, mine's Haldane--old Haldane, the Wise Woman--I'm known all over Oxfordshire, and Berkshire too. Miles and miles they come to consult me. Oh, don't look alarmed, my pretty bird! you sha'n't see one of them if you don't like. There's a sliding screen behind here that I can draw, and do by times, when I want to fright folks into behaving themselves; I just draw it out, and speak from behind it, in a hollow voice, and don't they go as white!--I'll make a cosy straw bed for you behind it, and never a soul of 'em 'll dare to look in on you--no, not the justice himself, trust me. I know 'em: Lords, and constables, and foresters, and officers--I can make every mother's son of 'em shiver in his shoes, till you'd think he had the ague on him. But _you_ sha'n't, my dear: you're as safe as if the angels was rocking you. Maybe they'll want to come with you: but they'll feel strange here. When you can talk a bit without hurting of you, you shall tell me how you got here." "I lost my way in the snow." "Well, no wonder! Was there many of you?" "About thirty." "And all served like you?" "Yes, except my brother: he was our leader, and they served him worse. I do not think the children were branded." "Children!" "Ay, there were eight children with us." "One minds one's manners when one has the angels in company, or else maybe I should speak my mind a bit straight. And what was it for, child?" "They said we were heretics." "I'll be bound they did! But what had you done?" "My brother and some others had preached the Gospel of Christ in the villages round, and further away." "What mean you by that, now?" "The good news that men are sinners, and that Jesus died for sinners." "Ah! I used to know all about that once. But now--He's forgotten me." "No, never, never, Mother Haldane! It is thou who hast forgotten Him. He sent me to thee to-night to tell thee so." "Gently now, my dear! Keep still. Don't you use up your bit of strength for a worthless old woman, no good to any body. There ain't nobody in the world as cares for me, child. No, there ain't nobody!" "Mother Haldane, I think Christ cared for you on His cross; and He cares for you now in Heaven. He wanted somebody to come and tell you so; and nobody did, so he drove me here. You'll let me tell you all about it, won't you?" "Softly, my dear--you'll harm yourself! Ay, you shall tell me any thing you will, my snow-bird, when you're fit to do it; but you must rest a while first."