Then she kissed the white hart between the eyes and said, "Go where you will. I shall be gone till daylight." And it rose up to run the moonlit hills, and she went down through the trees, and left the Wishing-Pool to its unruffled peace.
Straight down towards sleeping Bury Rosalind went, full of her purpose; and after an hour passed through the silent village.
Her errand was not wholly easy to her, but she thought, "I do not go to ask favors, but plain dealings; and it must be done secretly or not at all." As she came near the ferry a red glow broke on her vision.
"Does the water burn?" she said, and quickened her steps. To her surprise she saw that Harding's forge was busy; the light she had seen sprang from it. She had expected to find it locked and silent, but now the little space it held in the night was lit with fire and resounded with the stroke of the Red Smith's hammer. Proud Rosalind stood fast as though he were fashioning a spell to chain her eyes. And so he was, for he hammered on a sword.
He did not turn his head at her approach; but when at last she stood beside his door, and did not move away, he spoke to her.
"You walk late," said he.
"May not people walk late," said she, "as well as work late?"
Without answering he set himself to his task again and heeded her no more. "Smith!" she cried imperiously.
"What then?"
"I came to speak with you."