Still, as a precaution, they kept studiously apart, and the prince observed--and twitted the boy with the fact--that the more he gained in health, and the less danger there was of infection, the more anxious did he seem to be to keep away from him!
Things were in this state when, one evening, they received a visit-- which claims a new chapter to itself.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
IN WHICH VERY PERPLEXING EVENTS OCCUR.
The visitor referred to in the last chapter was a tall, broad-shouldered old man with a snowy head of hair and a flowing white beard, a long, loose black garment, and a stout staff about six feet long.
Cormac had gone to a spring for water at the time he arrived, and Bladud was lying on his back inside his hut.
"Is any one within?" demanded the stranger, lifting a corner of the curtain.
"Enter not here, whoever you are!" replied the prince quickly, springing up--"stay--I will come out to you."
"You are wonderfully inhospitable," returned the stranger, as the prince issued from the hut and stood up with an inquiring look which suddenly changed to one of astonishment.
"Beniah!" he exclaimed.
"Even so," replied the Hebrew, holding out his hand, but Bladud drew back.
"What! will you neither permit me to enter your house nor shake your hand? I was not so churlish when you visited my dwelling."
"You know well, old man, that I do not grudge hospitality, but fear to infect you."
"Yes, I know it well," rejoined the Hebrew, smiling, "and knowing that you were here, I turned aside on my journey to inquire as to your welfare."
"I have much to say about my welfare and strange things to tell you, but first let me know what has brought you to this part of the land--for if you have turned aside to see me--seeing me has not been your main object."
"You are right. Yet it pleases me well to use this opportunity, and to see by your looks and bearing, that the disease seems to have been arrested."
"Yes, thanks be to the All-seeing One, I am well, or nearly so. But proceed to explain the reason of your journey."
"The cause of it is the unaccountable disappearance of the girl named Branwen."
"What! she who is the bosom friend of my sister Hafrydda?"
"The same. She had fled, you may remember, from your father"s court for fear of being compelled to wed with Gunrig, the chief whose crown you cracked so deftly on the day of your arrival. She, poor thing, took refuge at first with me. I hid her for some time--"
"Then," interrupted the prince, "she must have been hidden in your hut at the time of my visit!"
"She was. But that was no business of yours."
"Surely it was, old man, for my father"s business is my business."
"Yea, but it was not my business to enlighten you, or the king either, while I had reason to know that he meant unduly to coerce the maiden.
However, there she was hidden, as I tell you. Now, you are aware that Branwen"s father Gadarn is a great chief, whose people live far away in the northern part of Albion. I bade Branwen remain close in my hut, in a secret chamber, while I should go and acquaint her father with her position, and fetch him down with a strong band of his retainers to rescue her. You should have seen the visage of Gadarn, when I told him the news. A wild boar of the woods could scarce have shown his tusks more fiercely. He not only ordered an armed band to get ready, instantly, but he roused the whole country around, and started off that same day with all his followers armed to the teeth. Of course I led them. In due course we arrived at my hut, when--lo! I found that the bird was flown!"
"I could see by the appearance of things," continued the Hebrew, "that the foolish girl had left of her own will, for there was no evidence of violence anywhere--which would doubtless have been the case if robbers had found her and carried her away, for they would certainly have carried off some of my goods along with her. The rage of her father on making this discovery was terrible. He threatened at once to cut off my old head, and even drew his sword with intent to act the part of executioner. But I reminded him that if he did so, he would cut off the only head that knew anything about his daughter, and that I had still some knowledge regarding her with which he was not acquainted.
"This arrested his hand just in time, for I actually fancied that I had begun to feel the edge of his sword slicing into my spinal marrow. When he had calmed himself enough to listen, I told him that Branwen had spoken about paying a visit to the Hot Springs--that I knew she was bent on going there, for some reason that I could not understand, and that I thought it more than likely she had gone. `Axe-men, to the front! Form long line! hooroo!" yelled the chief--(or something of that sort, for I"m a man of peace, and don"t understand warlike orders), and away went the 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 visit you."
"Truly a strange tale," remarked the prince. "And is the armed host of Gadarn actually within a few miles of us?"
"It is; and, to say truth, I have come out to search for you chiefly to inquire whether you have seen any young woman at all resembling Branwen during 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 know her 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 save my mad master, Konar, and a poor youth whom I rescued some time ago from the hands of robbers. He has nursed me through a severe illness, and is even now with me. But what makes you think that Branwen intended to come to the Swamp?"
"Because--because, she had reasons of her own. I do not profess to understand 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 been here? Methinks that when Gadarn hears of your failure to find her at the Swamp, your spinal marrow and his sword will still stand a good chance of becoming acquainted."
The Hebrew looked perplexed, but, before he could answer, Brownie came bounding gaily round the corner of the hut. Seeing a stranger, he stopped suddenly, displayed his teeth and growled.
"Down, pup! He is not accustomed to visitors, you see," said his master apologetically.
At that moment Cormac turned the corner of the hut, bearing an earthen jar of water on his shoulder. His eyes opened wide with surprise, so did those of the Hebrew, and the jar dropped to the ground, where it broke, and Brownie, quick to see and seize his opportunity, began to lap its 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. Leaping forward, he grasped the old man by the hand, and turning so as to present his back to Bladud, gave the Hebrew a look so powerfully significant that that son of Israel was quite disconcerted.
"My old, kind friend--is it--can it--be really yourself? So far from home--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 once in a time of great distress. I am so rejoiced, for now he will guide me back to my own home. You know I have sometimes talked of leaving you lately, Bladud."
"You say truth, my young friend. Frequently of late, since I have been getting well, you have hinted at a wish to go home, though you have not yet made it clear to me where that home is; and sad will be the day when you 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 to wish you to stay--especially now that you have found a friend who, it would seem, is both able and willing to guard you through the woods in safety. Yet, now I think, my complaint is so nearly cured that I might venture to do that myself."
"Not so," returned the lad, quickly. "You are far from cured yet. To give up using the waters at this stage of the cure would be fatal. It would perhaps let the disease come back as bad as before."
"Nay, but the difficulty lies here," returned the prince, smiling at the boy"s eagerness. "This good old man is at present engaged as guide to an army, and dare not leave his post. A foolish girl named Branwen fled some time ago from my father"s house, intending, it is supposed, to go to some friends living not far from the Hot Swamp. They have been searching for her in all directions, and at last her father, with a host at his heels, has been led to within a few miles of this place, but the girl has not yet been discovered; so the search will doubtless be continued."
"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_ as to run away from her friends?"
"Gadarn," answered Beniah.
"Oh! I know him!" exclaimed Cormac in some excitement, "and I know many of his people. I lived with them once, long, long ago. How far off is the camp, did you say?"
"An hour"s walk or so."
"In _that_ direction?" asked Cormac, pointing.
"Yes, in that direction."