enly at sir nigel as he

approached, and then, plunging his hand under his breastplate, he

stepped up to him with a rough, uncouth bow to the lady.

"your pardon, fair sir," said he, "but i know you the moment i

clap eyes on you, though in sooth i have seen you oftener in

steel than in velvet. i have drawn string besides you at la

roche-d'errien, romorantin, maupertuis, nogent, auray, and other

places."

"then, good archer, i am right glad to welcome you to twynham

castle, and in the steward s room you will find provant for

yourself and comrades. to me also your face is known, though

mine eyes play such tricks with me that i can scarce be sure of

my own squire. rest awhile, and you shall come to the hall anon

and tell us what is passing in france, for i have heard that it

is likely that our pennons may flutter to the south of the great

spanish mountains ere another year be passed."

"there was talk of it in bordeaux," answered the archer, "and i

saw myself that the armorers and smiths were as busy as rats in a

wheat-rick. but i bring you this letter from the valiant gascon

knight, sir claude latour. and to you, lady," he added after a

pause, "i bring from him this box of red sugar of narbonne, with

every courteous and knightly greeting which a gallant cavalier

may make to a fair and noble dame."

this little speech had cost the blunt bowman much pains and

planning; but he might have spared his breath, for the lady was

quite as much absorbed as her lord in the letter, which they held

between them, a hand on either corner, spelling it out very

slowly, with drawn brows and muttering lips. as they read it,

alleyne, who stood with hordle john a few paces back from their

comrade, saw the lady catch her breath, while the knight laughed

softly to himself.

"you see, dear heart," said he, "that they will not leave the old

dog in his kennel when the game is afoot. and what of this white

company, archer?"

"ah, sir, you speak of dogs," cried aylward; "but there are a

pack of lusty hounds who are ready for any quarry, if they have

but a good huntsman to halloo them on. sir, we have been in the

wars together, and i have seen many a brave following but never

such a set of woodland boys as this. they do but want you at

their head, and who will bar the way to them!"

"pardieu!" said sir nigel, "if they are all like their messenger,

they are indeed men of whom a leader may be proud. your name,

good archer?"

"sam aylward, sir, of the hundred of easebourne and the rape of

chichester."

"and this giant behind you?"

"he is big john, of hordle, a forest man, who hath now taken

service in the company."

"a proper figure of a man at-arms," said the little knight.

"why, man, you are no chicken, yet i warrant him the stronger

man. see to that great stone from the coping which hath fallen

upon the bridge. four of my lazy varlets strove this day to

carry it hence. i would that you two could put them to shame by

budging it, though i fear that i overtask you, for it is of a

grievous weight."

he pointed as he spoke to a huge rough-hewn block which lay by

the roadside, deep sunken from its own weight in the reddish

earth. the archer approached it, rolling back the sleeves of his

jerkin, but with no very hopeful countenance, for indeed it was a

mighty rock. john, however, put him aside with his left hand,

and, stooping over the stone, he plucked it single-handed from

its soft bed and swung it far into the stream. there it fell

with mighty splash, one jagged end peaking out above the surface,

while the waters bubbled and foamed with far-circling eddy.

"good lack!" cried sir nigel, and "good lack!" cried his lady,

while john stood laughing and wiping the caked dirt from his

fingers.

"i have felt his arms round my ribs," said the bowman, "and they

crackle yet at the thought of it. this other comrade of mine is

a right learned clerk, for all that he is so young, hight

alleyne, the son of edric, brother to the socman of minstead."

"young man," quoth sir nigel, sternly, "if you are of the same

way of thought as your brother, you may not pass under portcullis

of mine."

"nay, fair sir," cried aylward hastily, "i will be pledge for it

that they have no thought in common; for this very day his

brother hath set his dogs upon him, and driven him from his

lands."

"and are you, too, of the white company?" asked sir nigel. "hast

had small experience of war, if i may judge by your looks and

bearing."

"i would fain to france with my friends here," alleyne answered;

"but i am a man of peace--a reader, exorcist, acolyte, and

clerk."

"that need not hinder," quoth sir nigel.

"no, fair sir," cried the bowman joyously. "why, i myself have

served two terms with arnold de cervolles, he whom they called

the archpriest. by my