"Within half an hour, but - "

"Then go see to it," she broke in, her foot beating the ground
impatiently.

"But, madam - "

"Go, go, go!" she cried, her voice rising at each utterance of
that imperative.

"But, madam," the host persisted despairingly, and speaking
quickly so that he might get the words out, "I have no horses
fit to travel ten miles."

"I need to go but five," she retorted quickly, her only thought
being to get the beasts, no matter what their condition. "Now,
go, and come not back until all is ready. Use dispatch and I
will pay you well, and above all, not a word to the gentleman
who came hither with me."

The sorely-puzzled host withdrew to do her bidding, won to it
by her promise of good payment.

Alone she sat for half an hour, vainly fostering the hope that
ere the landlord returned to announce the conclusion of his
preparations, Crispin might have remembered her and come. But
he did not appear, and in her solitude this poor little maid
was very miserable, and shed some tears that had still more of
anger than sorrow in their source. At length the landlord