The blood mounted to his brow, and halting abruptly, he said, in a dry and altered voice: "My good damsel, you are now, I think, out of danger; it would ill beseem you, so young and so comely, to go farther with one not old enough to be your protector; so, in God's name, depart quickly, and remember me when you buy your new gittern, poor child!" So saying, he attempted to place a piece of money in her hand.

She put it back, and the coin fell on the ground.

"Nay, this is foolish," said he.
"Alas, sir!" said the girl, gravely, "I see well that you are ashamed of your goodness.

But my father begs not.

And once--but that matters not." "Once what ?" persisted Marmaduke, interested in her manner, in spite of himself.
"Once," said the girl, drawing herself up, and with an expression that altered the whole character of her face--"the beggar ate at my father's gate.