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day。 So it was I came hither。〃
The two young ladies had by now recovered from their fright。 The
Lady Anne slyly nudged her cousin with her elbow； and the younger could
not suppress a half…nervous laugh。 Myles heard it； and felt his face grow
hotter and redder than ever。
〃Nay；〃 said Lady Anne； 〃I do believe Master Giles〃
〃My name be'st Myles；〃 corrected Myles。
〃Very well； then； Master Myles； I say I do believe that thou meanest no
harm in coming hither； ne'theless it was ill of thee so to do。 An my father
should find thee here； he would have thee shrewdly punished for such
trespassing。 Dost thou not know that no one is permitted to enter this
placeno； not even my uncle George？ One fellow who came hither to
steal apples once had his ears shaven close to his head； and not more than
a year ago one of the cook's men who climbed the wall early one morning
was shot by the watchman。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Myles； 〃I knew of him who was shot； and it did go
somewhat against my stomach to venture； knowing what had happed to
him。 Ne'theless； an I gat not the ball； how were we to play more to…day at
the trap？〃
〃Marry； thou art a bold fellow； I do believe me；〃 said the young lady；
〃and sin thou hast come in the face of such peril to get thy ball； thou shalt
not go away empty。 Whither didst thou strike it？〃
〃Over yonder by the cherry…tree；〃 said Myles； jerking his head in that
direction。 〃An I may go get it； I will trouble ye no more。〃 As he spoke he
made a motion to leave them。
〃Stay！〃 said the Lady Anne； hastily； 〃remain where thou art。 An thou
cross the open； some one may haply see thee from the house； and will give
the alarm； and thou wilt be lost。 I will go get thy ball。〃
And so she left Myles and her cousin； crossing the little plots of grass
and skirting the rosebushes to the cherry…tree。
When Myles found himself alone with Lady Alice； he knew not where
to look or what to do； but twisted the piece of clematis which he still held
in and out more industriously than ever。
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Lady Alice watched him with dancing eyes for a little while。 〃Haply
thou wilt spoil that poor vine；〃 said she by…and…by； breaking the silence
and laughing； then turning suddenly serious again。 〃Didst thou hurt thyself
by thy fall？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； looking up； 〃such a fall as that was no great matter。
Many and many a time I have had worse。〃
〃Hast thou so？〃 said the Lady Alice。 〃Thou didst fright me parlously；
and my coz likewise。〃
Myles hesitated for a moment； and then blurted out； 〃Thereat I grieve；
for thee I would not fright for all the world。〃
The young lady laughed and blushed。 〃All the world is a great matter；〃
said she。
〃Yea；〃 said he； 〃it is a great matter； but it is a greater matter to fright
thee； and so I would not do it for that； and more。〃
The young lady laughed again； but she did not say anything further；
and a space of silence fell so long that by…and…by she forced herself to say；
〃My cousin findeth not the ball presently。〃
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； briefly； and then again neither spoke； until by…and…
by the Lady Anne came； bringing the ball。 Myles felt a great sense of relief
at that coming； and yet was somehow sorry。 Then he took the ball； and
knew enough to bow his acknowledgment in a manner neither ill nor
awkward。
〃Didst thou hurt thyself？〃 asked Lady Anne。
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； giving himself a shake； 〃seest thou not I be whole；
limb and bone？ Nay； I have had shrewdly worse falls than that。 Once I fell
out of an oak…tree down by the river and upon a root； and bethought me I
did break a rib or more。 And then one time when I was a boy in Crosbey…
Dale that was where I lived before I came hitherl did catch me hold of
the blade of the windmill； thinking it was moving slowly； and that I would
have a ride i' th' air； and so was like to have had a fall ten thousand times
worse than this。〃
〃Oh； tell us more of that！〃 said the Lady Anne； eagerly。 〃I did never
hear of such an adventure as that。 Come； coz； and sit down here upon the
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bench； and let us have him tell us all of that happening。〃
Now the lads upon the other side of the wall had been whistling
furtively for some time； not knowing whether Myles had broken his neck
or had come off scot…free from his fall。 〃I would like right well to stay
with ye；〃 said he； irresolutely； 〃and would gladly tell ye that and more an
ye would have me to do so； but hear ye not my friends call me from
beyond？ Mayhap they think I break my back； and are calling to see
whether I be alive or no。 An I might whistle them answer and toss me this
ball to them； all would then be well； and they would know that I was not
hurt； and so； haply； would go away。〃
〃Then answer them；〃 said the Lady Anne； 〃and tell us of that thing
thou spokest of anonhow thou tookest a ride upon the windmill。 We
young ladies do hear little of such matters； not being allowed to talk with
lads。 All that we hear of perils are of knights and ladies and jousting； and
such like。 It would pleasure us right well to have thee tell of thy
adventures。〃
So Myles tossed back the ball； and whistled in answer to his friends。
Then he told the two young ladies not only of his adventure upon the
windmill； but also of other boyish escapades； and told them well； with a
straightforward smack and vigor； for he enjoyed adventure and loved to
talk of it。 In a little while he had regained his ease； his shyness and
awkwardness left him； and nothing remained but the delightful fact that he
was really and actually talking to two young ladies； and that with just as
much ease and infinitely more pleasure than could be had in discourse
with his fellow…squires。 But at last it was time for him to go。 〃Marry；〃 said
he； with a half…sigh； 〃methinks I did never ha' so sweet and pleasant a time
in all my life before。 Never did I know a real lady to talk with； saving only
my mother； and I do tell ye plain methinks I would rather talk with ye than
with any he in Christendomsaving； perhaps； only my friend Gascoyne。 I
woul