he would bide with him for a time and do what he might to serve

him. if, on the other hand, he should have hardened his heart

against him, he could only go on his way and do the best he might

by his skill as a craftsman and a scrivener. at the end of a

year he would be free to return to the cloisters, for such had

been his father's bequest. a monkish upbringing, one year in the

world after the age of twenty, and then a free selection one way

or the other--it was a strange course which had been marked out

for him. such as it was, however, he had no choice but to follow

it, and if he were to begin by making a friend of his brother he

had best wait until morning before he knocked at his dwelling.

the rude plank door was ajar, but as alleyne approached it there

came from within such a gust of rough laughter and clatter of

tongues that he stood irresolute upon the threshold. summoning

courage, however, and reflecting that it was a public dwelling,

in which he had as much right as any other man, he pushed it open

and stepped into the common room.

though it was an autumn evening and somewhat warm, a huge fire of

heaped billets of wood crackled and sparkled in a broad, open

grate, some of the smoke escaping up a rude chimney, but the

greater part rolling out into the room, so that the air was thick

with it, and a man coming from without could scarce catch his

breath. on this fire a great cauldron bubbled and simmered,

giving forth a rich and promising smell. seated round it were a

dozen or so folk, of all ages and conditions, who set up such a

shout as alleyne entered that he stood peering at them through

the smoke, uncertain what this riotous greeting might portend.

"a rouse! a rouse!" cried one rough looking fellow in a tattered

jerkin. "one more round of mead or ale and the score to the last

comer."

" 'tis the law of the 'pied merlin,' " shouted another. "ho

there, dame eliza! here is fresh custom come to the house, and

not a drain for the company."

"i will take your orders, gentles; i will assuredly take your

orders," the landlady answered, bustling in with her hands full

of leathern drinking-cups. "what is it that you drink, then?

beer for the lads of the forest, mead for the gleeman, strong

waters for the tinker, and wine for the rest. it is an old

custom of the house, young sir. it has been the use at the 'pied

merlin' this many a year back that the company should drink to

the health of the last comer. is it your pleasure to humor it?"

"why, good dame," said alleyne, "i would not offend the customs

of your house, but it is only sooth when i say that my purse is a

thin one. as far as two pence will go, however, i shall be right

glad to do my part."

"plainly said and bravely spoken, my sucking friar," roared a

deep voice, and a heavy hand fell upon alleyne's shoulder.

looking up, he saw beside him his former cloister companion the

renegade monk, hordle john.

"by the thorn of glastonbury! ill days are coming upon beaulieu,"

said he. "here they have got rid in one day of the only two men

within their walls--for i have had mine eyes upon thee,

youngster, and i know that for all thy baby-face there is the

making of a man in thee. then there is the abbot, too. i am no

friend of his, nor he of mine; but he has warm blood in his

veins. he is the only man left among them. the others, what are

they?"

"they are holy men," alleyne answered gravely.

"holy men? holy cabbages! holy bean-pods! what do they do but

live and suck in sustenance and grow fat? if that be holiness, i

could show you hogs in this forest who are fit to head the

calendar. think you it was for such a life that this good arm

was fixed upon my shoulder, or that head placed upon your neck?

there is work in the world, man, and it is not by hiding behind

stone walls that we shall do it."

"why, then, did you join the brothers?" asked alleyne.

"a fair enough question; but it is as fairly answered. i joined

them because margery alspaye, of bolder, married crooked thomas

of ringwood, and left a certain john of hordle in the cold, for

that he was a ranting, roving blade who was not to be trusted in

wedlock. that was why, being fond and hot-headed, i left the

world; and that is why, having had time to take thought, i am

right glad to find myself back in it once more. ill betide the

day that ever i took off my yeoman's jerkin to put on the white

gown!"

whilst he was speaking the landlady came in again, bearing a

broad platter, upon which stood all the beakers and flagons

charged to the brim with the brown ale or the ruby wine. behind

her came a maid with a high pile of wooden plates, and a great

sheaf of spoons, one of which she handed round to each of the

travellers.

two of the company, who were dressed in the weather-stained gre