moorhens cried. She stood half leaning against the side of
the horse till she became somewhat drowsy; yea, and even
dreamed a little, and that little but ill, it seemed, as she
gave a troubled cry and shrank together and turned pale.
Then she rubbed her eyes and smiled, and turned to the pool,
where now a little ripple was running over the face of it,
and a thought came upon her, and she set her hand to the
clasp of her gown and undid it, and drew the gown off her
shoulders, and so did off all her raiment, and stood naked a
little on the warm sunny grass, and then bestirred her and
went lightly into the pool, and bathed and sported there,
and then came on to the grass again, and went to and fro to
dry her in the air and sun. Then she did on her raiment
again, and laid her down under a thorn-bush by the
pool-side, and there, would she, would she not, went to
sleep soundly and dreamed not. And when she awoke she
deemed her sleep had been long, but it was not so, but
scarce a score of minutes. Anyhow, she sprang up now and
went to her horse, and drew the girths tight (which she had
loosed erewhile,) and so bestrode the good horse, and shook
the reins, and rode away much comforted and enheartened.



CHAPTER XV.

OF GOLDILIND IN THE WILD-WOOD.


Goldilind rode on, hastening yet to put as many miles as she