"No; I have drawn Dan's face. It is true," added Meg, demurely--"it is true that I have only spoken once to Sir Alurde's double, but I have seen him at least a dozen times. Often and often I have been hidden in the pine trees above his dell, and looked down on him without his knowing I was there. And sometimes I have sung songs and led him a dance through the wood, like Puck did the Athenian lovers. You yourself, Miss Linisfarne, said that I was quick at catching a likeness; and if that sketch is not as like Dan as Sir Alurde is like him, then call me--well, anything you please." "You foolish, foolish child!" said Miss Linisfarne, letting the sketch fall on her lap. "How can you indulge in such wild ways? Do you not know that you are twenty years of age, and must not act like an uneducated rustic?" "I am a rustic," replied Meg, smiling--"but not uneducated, thanks to you and Mr. Jarner. Oh," she continued, laughing at the recollection, "if you only had seen his face when I spoke like the villagers! He nearly fainted with surprise and horror." "I don't wonder at it," said Miss Linisfarne, severely. "You have no business to play such tricks. If this man is a gentleman, which I can hardly believe, he must have been shocked at your illiterate speech." "He was--very much shocked," assented Miss Merle, readily; "but I only spoke half a dozen words in the style of Audrey. Afterwards my language was most correct." "What did you converse about, child?" "I am afraid we talked nonsense! But as it was our first meeting, you can hardly wonder at that. He asked me to visit him in his dell." "You did not accept his invitation?" "Yes, I did! Why not? There is no harm in going there." The elder lady was nonplussed for the moment. Meg was so innocent and unsophisticated that it was really a matter of difficulty to set her right on some points. Miss Linisfarne did not wish to suggest anything detrimental to the character of the vagrant, if only because she did not think it advisable to put ideas into the mind of her _protégée_ which were not there already. She therefore evaded a direct reply, and spoke lightly, as though the matter were of no consequence. "My dear child, you must take care of your heart," she said, with forced gaiety. "I cannot have you falling in love with the first handsome scamp who comes to Farbis." "I fall in love!" laughed Meg. "What a funny idea! I don't think Dan is the kind of young man with whom I would fall in love. And then," she added reflectively, "I don't know what love is." "I hope you never will know," said Miss Linisfarne, vehemently. "Keep your heart free while you may, child. Love is a sweet poison which brings nothing but pain. Love!" she added, with a bitter laugh, "it is a curse--a curse, child, and not a blessing." "Were you ever in love, Miss Linisfarne?"