semi-monastic garb with scant favour. "Can a poor maid not
practise her steps in the heart of a forest, but a cloister-bred
youngster must cry devil's guise?"

As she spoke her anger vanished like a summer cloud, and she broke
into peal on peal of joyous laughter. "Poor lad, with thy talk of
devils; hast thou never looked a maid in the eyes before?"

Shrewdly hit, mistress; never before has Hilarius looked a maid in
the eyes, and now he drops his own.

"Dost thou not know it is sin to deck the body thus, and entice
men's souls to their undoing?"

"An what is the matter with my poor body, may it please you, kind
sir?" she asked demurely, and stood with downcast eyes, like a
scolded child.

"It is wrong to deck the body," began Hilarius, softening at her
attitude, "because, because--"

Again the merry laugh rang out.

"Because, because--nay, Father" (with a mock reverence), "methinks
thy sermon is not ready; let it simmer awhile, and _I_ will
catechise. How old art thou?" She held up her small finger
admonishingly.

"Seventeen," replied Hilarius, surprised into reply.