s deep there was an inn a little back from

the road, very large and wide-spread, with a great green bush

hung upon a pole from one of the upper windows. at this window

he marked, as he rode up, that a man was seated who appeared to

be craning his neck in his direction. alleyne was still looking

up at him, when a woman came rushing from the open door of the

inn, and made as though she would climb a tree, looking back the

while with a laughing face. wondering what these doings might

mean, alleyne tied his horse to a tree, and was walking amid the

trunks towards the inn, when there shot from the entrance a

second woman who made also for the trees. close at her heels

came a burly, brown-faced man, who leaned against the door-post

and laughed loudly with his hand to his side, "ah, mes belles!"

he cried, "and is it thus you treat me? ah, mes petites! i

swear by these finger-bones that i would not hurt a hair of your

pretty heads; but i have been among the black paynim, and, by my

hilt! it does me good to look at your english cheeks. come,

drink a stoup of muscadine with me, mes anges, for my heart is

warm to be among ye again."

at the sight of the man alleyne had stood staring, but at the

sound of his voice such a thrill of joy bubbled up in his heart

that he had to bite his lip to keep himself from shouting

outright. but a deeper pleasure yet was in store. even as he

looked, the window above was pushed outwards, and the voice of

the man whom he had seen there came out from it. "aylward,"

cried the voice, "i have seen just now a very worthy person come

down the road, though my eyes could scarce discern whether he

carried coat-armor. i pray you to wait upon him and tell him

that a very humble knight of england abides here, so that if he

be in need of advancement, or have any small vow upon his soul,

or desire to exalt his lady, i may help him to accomplish it."

aylward at this order came shuffling forward amid the trees, and

in an instant the two men were clinging in each other's arms,

laughing and shouting and patting each other in their delight;

while old sir nigel came running with his sword, under the

impression that some small bickering had broken out, only to

embrace and be embraced himself, until all three were hoarse with

their questions and outcries and congratulations.

on their journey home through the woods alleyne learnt their

wondrous story: how, when sir nigel came to his senses, he with

his fellow-captive had been hurried to the coast, and conveyed by

sea to their captor's castle; how upon the way they had been

taken by a barbary rover, and how they exchanged their light

captivity for a seat on a galley bench and hard labor at the

pirate's oars; how, in the port at barbary, sir nigel had slain

the moorish captain, and had swum with aylward to a small coaster

which they had taken, and so made their way to england with a

rich cargo to reward them for their toils. all this alleyne

listened to, until the dark keep of twynham towered above them

in the gloaming, and they saw the red sun lying athwart the

rippling avon. no need to speak of the glad hearts at twynham

castle that night, nor of the rich offerings from out that

moorish cargo which found their way to the chapel of father

christopher.

sir nigel loring lived for many years, full of honor and laden

with every blessing. he rode no more to the wars, but he found

his way to every jousting within thirty miles; and the hampshire

youth treasured it as the highest honor when a word of praise

fell from him as to their management of their horses, or their

breaking of their lances. so he lived and so he died, the most

revered and the happiest man in all his native shire.

for sir alleyne edricson and for his beautiful bride the future

had also naught but what was good. twice he fought in france,

and came back each time laden with honors. a high place at court

was given to him, and he spent many years at windsor under the

second richard and the fourth henry--where he received the honor

of the garter, and won the name of being a brave soldier, a true-

hearted gentleman, and a great lover and patron of every art and

science which refines or ennobles life.

as to john, he took unto himself a village maid, and settled in

lyndhurst, where his five thousand crowns made him the richest

franklin for many miles around. for many years he drank his ale

every night at the "pied merlin," which was now kept by his

friend aylward, who had wedded the good widow to whom he had

committed his plunder. the strong men and the bowmen of the

country round used to drop in there of an evening to wrestle a

fall with john or to shoot a round with aylward; but, though a

silver shilling was to be the prize of the victory, it has never

been reported that any man earned much money in that fashion. so