LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 'Are-are you a mermaid, or a-that other thing?' PAGE asked the child Frontispiece 'Can I- -?' he began, then hesitated 23 6 -Oh Ruby!' she suddenly broke off, 'do look here -oh, how lovely!'. 60 'Mavis,' said the soft yet clear and thrilling voice, Winfried drew forward a chair; in another minute he had reached down the cross 81 125 -Bertrand-look-where is Mavis- Mavis and the hush-there now, do you hear them ringing?' 148 Stop and listen— 172 THE CHILDREN OF THE CASTLE CHAPTER I RUBY AND MAVIS 'Hast thou seen that lordly castle, That castle by the sea? Golden and red above it The clouds float gorgeously.' Trans. of Uhland: LONGFELLOW. Do you remember Gratian-Gratian Conyfer, the godson of the four winds, the boy who lived at the old farmhouse up among the moors, where these strange beautiful sisters used to meet? Do you remember how full of fancies and stories Gratian's little head was, and how sometimes he put them into words to please Fergus, the lame child he loved so much? The story I am now going to tell you is one of these. I think it was their favourite one. I can64 B |