hadbegun to feel the edge of his sword slicing into my spinal marrow. Whenhe had calmed himself enough to listen, I told him that Branwen hadspoken about paying a visit to the Hot Springs--that I knew she was benton going there, for some reason that I could not understand, and that Ithought it more than likely she had gone. `Axe-men, to the front! Formlong line! hooroo!' yelled the chief--(or something of that sort, forI'm a man of peace, and don't understand warlike orders), and away wentthe whole host at a run, winding through the forest like a great snake;Gadarn and I leading them, except when the thickets became impenetrable,and then the axe-men were ordered to the front and soon broke them down.And so, in course of time, we came within a few miles of the Hot Swamp,and--and, as I have said, I have been permitted to turn aside to visityou."
"Truly a strange tale," remarked the prince. "And is the armed host ofGadarn actually within a few miles of us?"
"It is; and, to say truth, I have come out to search for you chiefly toinquire whether you have seen any young woman at all resembling Branwenduring your wanderings in this region?"
The Hebrew looked keenly at the prince as he put this question.
"You forget I have never seen this girl, and, therefore, could not knowher even if I had met her. But, in truth, I have not seen any woman,young or old, since I came here. Nor have I seen any human being savemy mad master, Konar, and a poor youth whom I rescued some time ago fromthe hands of robbers. He has nursed me through a severe illness, and iseven now with me. But what makes you think that Branwen intended tocome to the Swamp?"
"Because--because, she had reasons of her own. I do not profess tounderstand the workings of a young girl's mind," answered the Hebrew.
"And what will you do," said Bladud, "now that you find she has not beenhere? Methinks that when Gadarn hears of your failure to find her atthe Swamp, your spinal marrow and his sword will still stand a goodchance of becoming acquainted."
The Hebrew looked perplexed, but, before he could answer, Brownie camebounding gaily round the corner of the hut. Seeing a stranger, hestopped suddenly, displayed his teeth and growled.
"Down, pup! He is not accustomed to visitors, you see," said his masterapologetically.
At that moment Cormac turned the corner of the hut, bearing an earthenjar of water on his shoulder. His eyes opened wide with surprise, sodid those of the Hebrew, and the jar dropped to the ground, where itbroke, and Brownie, quick to see and seize his opportunity, began to lapits contents. The prince--also wide-eyed--gazed from one to the other.It was a grand _tableau vivant_!
The first to recover himself and break the spell was Cormac. Leapingforward, he grasped the old man by the hand, and turning so as topresent his back to Bladud, gave the Hebrew a look so powerfullysignificant that that son of Israel was quite disconcerted.
"My old, kind friend--is it--can it--be really yourself? So far fromhome--so unexpected! It makes me so glad to see you," said the youth.Then, turning to Bladud, "A very old friend of mine, who helped me oncein a time of great distress. I am so rejoiced, for now he will guide meback to my own home. You know I have sometimes talked of leaving youlately, Bladud."
"You say truth, my young friend. Frequently of late, since I have beengetting well, you have hinted at a wish to go home, though you have notyet made it clear to me where that home is; and sad will be the day whenyou quit me. I verily believe that I should have died outright, Beniah,but for the kind care of this amiable lad. But it is selfish of me towish you to stay--especially now that you have found a friend who, itwould seem, is both able and willing to guard you through the woods insafety. Yet, now I think, my complaint is so nearly cured that I mightventure to do that myself."
"Not so," returned the lad, quickly. "You are far from cured yet. Togive up using the waters at this stage of the cure would be fatal. Itwould perhaps let the disease come back as bad as before."
"Nay, but the difficulty lies here," returned the prince, smiling at theboy's eagerness. "This good old man is at present engaged as guide toan army, and dare not leave his post. A foolish girl named Branwen fledsome time ago from my father's house, intending, it is supposed, to goto some friends living not far from the Hot Swamp. They have beensearching for her in all directions, and at last her father, with a hostat his heels, has been led to within a few miles of this place, but thegirl has not yet been discovered; so the search will doubtless becontinued."
"Is that so?" asked Cormac of the Hebrew, pointedly.
"It is so."
"What is the name of the chief whose daughter has been _so foolish_ asto run away from her friends?"
"Gadarn," answered Beniah.
"Oh! I know him!" exclaimed Cormac in some excitement, "and I know manyof his people. I lived with them once, long, long ago. How far off isthe camp, did you say?"
"An hour's walk or so."
"In _that_ direction?" asked Cormac, pointing.
"Yes, in that direction."
"Then I will go and see them," said the lad, picking up his bow andarrows. "You can wait here till I come back, Beniah, and keep Bladudcompany--for he is accustomed to company now! Who knows but I may pickup this _foolish_ girl on my way to the camp!"
The lad hurried into the woods without waiting a reply; but he had notgone a hundred yards when he turned and shouted, "Hi, Beniah!" at thesame time beckoning with his hand.
The Hebrew hurried towards him.
"Beniah," said the lad impressively, as he drew near, "go back andexamine Bladud's arm, and let me know when we meet again what you thinkof it."
"But how--why--wherefore came you--?" exclaimed the Hebrew, pausing inperplexity.
"Ask no questions, old man," returned the youth with a laugh. "There isno time to explain--. He will suspect--robbers--old mother--bad son--escape--boy's dress--fill up that story if you can! More hereafter.But--observe, if you say one word about _me to anybody_, Gadarn's swordis sharp and his arm strong! You promise?"
"I promise."
"Solemnly--on your word as a Hebrew?"
"Solemnly--on my word as a Hebrew. But--?"
With another laugh the boy interrupted him, turned, and disappeared inthe woods.
"A strange, though a good and affectionate boy," remarked Bladud whenthe Hebrew returned. "What said he?"
"He bade me examine your arm, and tell him what I think of it on hisreturn."
"That is of a piece with all the dear boy's conduct," returned theprince. "You have no idea what a kind nurse he has been to me, at atime when I was helpless with fever. Indeed, if I had not been helplessand delirious, I would not have allowed him to come near me. You haveknown him before, it seems?"
"Yes; I have known him for some time."
From this point the prince pushed the Hebrew with questions, which thelatter--bearing in remembrance the sharpness of Gadarn's sword, and thesolemnity of his promise--did his best to evade, and eventuallysucceeded in turning the conversation by questioning Bladud as to hisintercourse with the hunter of the Swamp, and his mode of life since hisarrival in that region. Then he proceeded to examine the armcritically.
"It is a wonderful cure," he said, after a minute inspection. "Almostmiraculous."
"Cure!" exclaimed the prince. "Do you, then, think me cured?"
"Indeed I do--at least, very nearly so. I have had some experience ofyour complaint in the East, and it seems to me that a perfect cure is atmost certain--if it has not been already effected."
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
DESCRIBES AN ARDENT SEARCH.
While the prince and the Hebrew were thus conversing, Cormac wasspeeding towards the camp of Gadarn. He quickly arrived, and wasimmediately arrested by one of the sentinels. Taken before one of thechief officers, he was asked who he was, and where he came from.
"That I will tell only to your chief," said the lad.
"_I_ am a chief," replied the officer proudly.
"That may be so; but I want to speak with _your_ chief, and I must seehim alone."
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sp; "Assuredly thou art a saucy knave, and might be improved by aswitching."
"Possibly; but instead of wasting our time in useless talk, it would bewell to convey my message to Gadarn, for my news is urgent; and I wouldnot give much for your head if you delay."
The officer laughed; but there was that in the boy's tone and mannerthat induced him to obey.
Gadarn, the chief, was seated on a tree-stump inside of a booth ofboughs, leaves, and birch-bark, that had been hastily constructed forhis accommodation. He was a great, rugged, north-country man, ofimmense physical power--as most chiefs were in those days. He seemed tobe brooding over his sorrows at the
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