80 The Flame-Flower

where men had found iron in the earth; and
here she stopped suddenly, and drew back
into the shadow, for Griffith was cutting
bow-wood from a tree; and a little space
from him, concealed from him by the bushes,
stood the unknown maiden, gazing upon
him. So the two maidens stood awhile, the
unknown one looking upon Griffith, and.
Flamma upon her.

Presently the maiden turned away ; and
again Flamma followed her silently, until
she saw her come to a little pool of still
water in a rivulet. There the maiden bent
down and gazed upon the reflection of her
own face, and arranged her long brown
hair, and twined young oak-leaves and
flowers in it.

Flamma was filled with a great wonder
who the maiden could be; for she knew
all the women of Pratulum, young and old;
and there was none among them like the
unknown maiden; for she was very lovely
to look upon, having great brown eyes as
soft as those of a fawn, nor was there any
woman in the homesteading clad like her;