“My lord,” said he to Kenric, who was sitting in the great hall with the abbot Godfrey Thurstan, “I have a strange thing to tell of an adventure that befell me yestereve.”

“Come, then, to the fire, Allan,” said Kenric, “for on these cold days, when one cannot get out and about, a story is ever welcome.  What says your reverence?”

“Even so,” said the abbot, rising; “and methinks the sound of Allan’s young voice, whatever his adventure be, will cheer you better than the croaking of an old man, so I will leave you together, my sons.”

Then the two lads sat side by side before the great fire of pine logs, and each with his arm twined about the neck of one of the deer hounds that sat beside him.

“And now, Allan, what is your adventure?”

“Why, ’twas a wolf hunt we had, I and some of our men of Kilmory.  The wolves, as you know, have been numerous in the island since the snow and frost came.  We tracked a goodly pack of them into Glen More, and, running them to a corrie in the hill of Kilbride, we there slew three of them with our spears.  But there was one dog wolf —­ a great gray fellow that we came upon at the head of the glen.  He had a patch of white hair about his neck, and by that I knew that it was the same that had so frightened the widow Campbell; and being on my pony, I gave chase.  He doubled, and ran south, leading me even to Kilmory.  There I lost him.  But I traced his steps in the snow, and where think you they led me?”

“Nay, how could I know?” said Kenric.

“Why, to the cottage door of Elspeth Blackfell.

“There I dismounted, and, pushing open the door, what should I see but the same wolf lying down at his ease before the fire that burned in the middle of the room!  His long tongue was hanging out, and I could see his great white teeth.  At his side was the old woman’s black cat.  At the other side of the fire sat Elspeth herself, calmly eating of a dish of brose.  Even as I stood there, the old witch bent down and laid the dish before the wolf that he might finish the brose.  When I leapt forward with spear upraised to slay the wolf, Elspeth stepped in between and roughly bade me put away my weapon.  ‘For,’ said she, ’know you this, Allan Redmain, that he is not as other wolves, and I would not have you harm him by any manner of means;’ and so I went away, marvelling much.”

“Well,” said Kenric, “and what make you of this adventure?”

“Why this:  that Aasta the wolf maid, who was wont to prowl about in her wolf’s guise only at dead of night, has now taken to her fancies by daytime also.”

“If this be so indeed,” said Kenric thoughtfully, never doubting that the explanation was the truth of the matter, “then I would have you be very careful in your adventures, Allan.  Spare that white-breasted wolf; for we know not what strange ill would befall you were you to slay Aasta by mistake.  Say naught of this to any man.  Duncan Graham, who knows more than others of Aasta the Fair, shall one day tell us what all this mystery means.”