THE HERON OF CASTLE CREEK 



I 

 The Wounded Heron 



ON a rocky eminence, near a winding creek 

 that afc ebb of tide was scarcely broader 

 than the river flowing into it a mile above, was 

 perched, like the gigantic eyrie of a bird of prey, 

 the feudal Castle of an Earl. Already the ivy 

 was climbing around the lower loop-holes of the 

 keep, but in other places, on tower and turret, 

 wherever it might afford a foothold for an escap- 

 ing prisoner or a grip for hooks and scaling lad- 

 ders, its growt.h had carefully been kept in check. 

 It was a mild, sunny day in late winter, and 

 unusual preparations were in progress within the 

 precincts of the Castle ; the Justiciar had started 

 on his itinerary and was shortly to visit the Earl. 

 The drawbridge was down over the moat to 

 landward of the creek ; and wagons, filled with 

 stable provender and firewood, with wines and 

 meat, and with fresh rushes for the floors of halls 

 and sleeping chambers, rumbled over the strain- 

 ing planks into the Castle yard. Here and there 

 a man-at-arms or a green-gowned forester 



H 97 



