But pity of your life,
sir, if ye be fowling or shooting in the Park, beware of drinking at the
Mermaiden's Well--He's gane! he's down the path arrow-flight after her!
The head is as clean taen aff the Ravenswood family this day as I wad
chap the head aff a sybo!"
The old butler looked long after his master, often clearing away the dew
as it rose to his eyes, that he might, as long as possible, distinguish
his stately form from those of the other horsemen. "Close to her
bridle-rein--ay, close to her bridle-rein! Wisely saith the holy man,
'By this also you may know that woman hath dominion over all men'; and
without this lass would not our ruin have been a'thegither fulfilled."
With a heart fraught with such sad auguries did Caleb return to
his necessary duties at Wofl's Crag, as soon as he could no longer
distinguish the object of his anxiety among the group fo riders, which
diminished in the distance.
In the mean time the party pursued their route joyfully. Having once
taken his resolution, the Master of Ravenswood was not of a character to
hesitate or pause upon it.
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