think of that, Bertie! Do you think we shall be? She didn't tell me what
the spell was. I expect it was something too bad to repeat. That's how
Cinders and I came to make up about the knight and the dragon. I hope the
dragon won't find us, don't you?"

She drew a little nearer to him and slipped a hand inside his arm. He
pressed it close to him,

"Have no fear, _chérie_. No evil can touch you while I am here."

"I should be terrified if you weren't," she told him frankly. "Did you
ever hear about the spell? Do you know what it means?"

"Yes," he said slowly; "I have heard. That was in part why I came here at
first, because I knew that I should be alone. I had need of solitude in
order to accomplish that which I had begun."

"Your magic?" queried Chris eagerly.

"Yes, little one, my magic. But"--he was smiling--"I have never remained
here for the night. And the charm, you say, is not so potent during the
day."

"You may be under it already," she said. "I wonder if you are."

"Ah!" Bertrand's tone was suddenly grave. "That also is possible."

"I wonder," she said again. "That may be what made you knock your head.
One never knows. But tell me about your magic. What is it? What do you
do?"