Two archers stepped out into the path,--shafts notched and bows up.
"A word with your worship," said one.
The Knight whirled around.
"A word with your worship," greeted him from the rear.
He glanced quickly to each side.
"A word with your worship," met him there.
He shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the limb of a fallen tree.
Resistance was quite useless, with no weapon save a dagger, and no
armor but silk and velvet.
"The unanimity of your desires does me much honor," he said; "pray
proceed."
The leader lowered his bow.
"It is a great pleasure to meet you, Sir Aymer de Lacy," said he, "and
particularly to be received so graciously."
"You know me?"
"We saw you arrive yesterday--but there were so many with you we
hesitated to ask a quiet word aside."
The Knight smiled. "It is unfortunate--I assure you my talk would have
been much more interesting then."
"In that case it is we who are the losers."
De Lacy looked him over carefully.
"Pardieu, man," said he, "your language shames your business."
The outlaw bowed with sweeping grace.
"My thanks, my lord, my deepest thanks." He unstrung his bow and
leaned upon the stave; a fine figure in forest green and velvet bonnet,
a black mask over eyes and nose, a generous mouth and strong chin below
it. "Will your worship favor me with your dagger?" he said.
The Knight tossed it to him.
"Thank you . . . a handsome bit of craftsmanship . . . these stones are
true ones, _n'est ce pas_?"
"If they are not, I was cheated in the price," De Lacy laughed.
The other examined it critically.
"Methinks you were not cheated," he said, and drew it through his belt.
"And would your lordship also permit me a closer view of the fine gold
chain that hangs around your neck?"
De Lacy took it off and flung it over.
"It I will warrant true," he said.
The outlaw weighed the links in his hand, then bit one testingly.
"So will I," said he, and dropped the chain in his pouch.
"And the ring with the ruby--it is a ruby, is it not?--may I also
examine it? . . . I am very fond of rubies. . . Thank you; you are
most obliging. . . It seems to be an especially fine stone--and
worth . . . how many rose nobles would you say, my lord?"
"I am truly sorry I cannot aid you there," De Lacy answered; "being
neither a merchant nor a robber, I have never reckoned its value."
The other smiled. "Of course, by 'merchant,' your worship has no
reference to my good comrades nor myself."
"None whatever, I assure you."
"Thank you; I did not think you would be so discourteous. . . But
touching money reminds me that doubtless there is some such about
you--perhaps you will permit me to count it for you."
The Knight drew out a handful of coins. "Will you have them one by one
or all together?" he asked.
"All together; on the turf beside you, if you please. . . Thank
you. . . And do you know, Sir Aymer, I am vastly taken with the short
gown of velvet and sable--you brought it from France, I assume; the
fashion smacks of the Continent. I would like much to have your
opinion as to how it looks on me--we are rather of a size, I take
it--though I shall have to forego the pleasure of the opinion until
another day. . . And now that I can see your doublet, I am enamoured
also of it--will you lend it to me for a little while? Truly, my lord,
I mind never to have seen a handsomer, or one that caught my fancy
more."
De Lacy looked again at the archers and their ready bows.
"St. Denis, fellow," he said, "leave me enough clothes to return to the
castle."
"God forbid," exclaimed the bandit, "that I should put a gallant
gentleman to any such embarrassment--but you must admit it were a shame
to have gown and doublet and yet no bonnet to match them. . ."
The Knight took it off and sent it spinning toward him.
"Note the feather," he said. "It is rarely long and heavy."
"I observed that yesterday," was the merry response.
"Is there anything else about me you care for?" De Lacy asked.
"Nothing--unless you could give me your rarely generous disposition.
Methinks I never met a more obliging gentleman."
The Knight arose. "Then, as I am already overdue at Windsor, I shall
give you good morning."
The archer raised his hand.
"I am sorry, my lord, but we must impose a trifle further on your good
nature and ask you to remain here a while," and he nodded to the man
beside him, who drew a thin rope from his pouch and came forward.
De Lacy started back--the leveled arrows met him on every side.
"You would not bind me!" he exclaimed.
The outlaw bowed again.
"It grieves me to the heart to do it, but we have pressing business
elsewhere and must provide against pursuit. Some one will, I hope,
chance upon you before night. . . Proceed, James--yonder beech will
answer."
The Knight laughed.
"I thank you for the hope," he said--and, throwing his body into the
blow, smashed the rogue with the rope straight on the chin-point, and
leaping over him closed with the leader.
It was done so quickly and in such positions that the others dared not
shoot lest they strike either James or their chief--but the struggle
was only for a moment; for they sprang in and dragged the Knight away,
and whipped the rope about his arms.
"Marry," exclaimed the leader, brushing the dirt from his clothes, "I
am sorry they did not let us have the wrestle out--though you are a
quick hitter, my lord, and powerful strong in the arms. I wager you
showed James more stars than he ever knew existed."
James, still dazed, was struggling to get up, and one of the others
gave him a hand.
"By St. Hubert," he growled, rubbing his head in pain and scowling at
De Lacy, "if there be more I have no wish to see them."
In the fight De Lacy's forearm had struck the point of his own dagger,
where it protruded below the brigand's belt, and the blood was
scarleting the white sleeve of his tunic.
The leader came over and bared the wound.
"It is a clean gash, my lord," he said, "but will need a bandage." He
drew a bow-cord around the arm above the elbow; then, "With your
permission," carefully cut away the sleeve and deftly bound up the hurt.
De Lacy watched him curiously.
"You are a charming outlaw," he observed; "a skillful surgeon--and I
fancy, if you so cared, you could claim a gentle birth."
The man stepped back and looked him in the eyes a moment.
"If I remove the bonds, will you give me your Knightly word to remain
here, speaking to no one until . . . the sun has passed the topmost
branch of yonder oak?"
The Knight bowed.
"That I will, and thank you for the courtesy."
At a nod the rope was loosed, and the next instant the outlaws had
vanished in the forest--but De Lacy's cloak lay at his feet, flung
there by the chief himself.
"St. Denis!" De Lacy marveled, "has Robin Hood returned to the flesh?"
Then he looked at the sun, and resumed his seat on the fallen tree.
"A pretty mess," he mused--"a stranger in England--my first day at
Windsor and the jest of the castle. . . Stripped like a jowly
tradesman . . . taken like a cooing babe . . . purseless . . .
daggerless . . . bonnetless . . . doubletless--aye, naked, but for an
outlaw's generosity . . . cut by my own weapon"--he held up his hand
and looked at the abraded knuckles--"and that is all the credit I have
to show--the mark of a caitiff's chin. . . Methinks I am fit only for
the company of children."
He glanced again at the sun--it seemed not to have moved at all--then
sat in moody silence; the wound was smarting now, and he frowned at it
every time it gave an extra twinge. . . Would the sun never
move? . . . He got up and paced back and forth, his eyes on the oak at
every turn--truly that tree was growing higher every minute--or the sun
was sinking. . . Not that he was in haste to return to Windsor. . .
There would be a fine tale to tell there--no need to speed to it--it
would speed to him quite soon enough. . . . But to get away from the
accursed place--anywhere . . . back to Windsor even . . . what if some
one found him here in this plight--and he not allowed to speak--unable
to explain--dumb as that oak. . . Would the sun never move! The wound
was stinging sharply, and the arm above the cord was turning black and
swelling fast--the pressure must come off. He felt for his dagger;
then flung out an imprecation, and tried to tear the cord asunder with
his teeth. It was quite futile; it was sunk now so deep in the flesh
he could not seize it--and the knots were drawn too tight to loose. . .
Would the sun never move!
He fell to searching for a stone--a small one with an edge that could
reach in and rasp the deer-hide cord apart--but vainly; though he tried
many, only to leave his arm torn and bleeding. . . Yet at last the sun
had moved--it was up among the thinner branches.
Of a sudden, back in the forest rose the deep bay of a mastiff . . .
and presently again--and nearer . . . and a third time--and still
nearer . . . and then down the path came the great tawny dog, tail
arched forward, head up--and behind him a bay horse, a woman in the
saddle.
"Down, Rollo, down!" she cried, as the mastiff sprang ahead. . .
"Beside me, sir!" and the dog whirled instantly and obeyed.
De Lacy bethought himself of his cloak, and hurrying to where it lay he
tried to fling it around his shoulders, but with only one hand and his
haste he managed badly and it slipped off and fell to the ground. As
he seized it again the horse halted behind him.
"You are wounded, sir," she said; "permit me to aid you."
He turned slowly, bowing as he did so--he dared not speak--then glanced
up, and almost spoke in sheer amazement, as he beheld the slender
figure in green velvet--the sweet, bow-shaped mouth, the high-bred,
sensitive nose, the rounded chin, the tiny ear, the soft, deep grey
eyes, and, crowning all, the great rolls of the auburn hair that
sunbeams spin to gold.
"Come, sir," said she, "I stopped to aid you, not to be stared at."
De Lacy flushed and made to speak, then checked himself, and with
another bow held up his arm and motioned for her to cut the cord.
"Merciful Mother!" she exclaimed, and severed it with a touch of her
bodkin.
The blood flooded fiercely forward and the wound began to bleed afresh.
"The bandage needs adjusting--come," and slipping from saddle she
tossed the rein to the dog and went over to the fallen tree. "Sit
down," she ordered.
With a smile De Lacy obeyed; as yet she did not seem to note his
silence. And it was very pleasant indeed--the touch of her slim
fingers on his bare arm--the perfume of her hair as she bent over the
work--the quick upward glance at times of her grey eyes questioning if
she hurt him. He was sorry now there were not a dozen wounds for her
to dress.
"There, that will suffice until you get proper attendance," she said,
tying the last knot and tucking under the ends.
He took her hand and bowing would have kissed it; but she drew it away
sharply and turned to her horse. Then she stopped and looked at him in
sudden recollection.
"Parbleu, man, where is your tongue?" she demanded. "You had one last
night."
Where she had seen him he did not know; he had not seen her--and it
only tangled the matter the more, for now she would know he was not
dumb. But how to explain?
He smiled and bowed.
"That is the sixth time I have got a bow when a word was due," she
said. "There may be a language of genuflections, but I do not know it."
He bowed again.
"Seven," she counted; "the perfect number--stop with it."
He put his hand to his lips and shook his head in negation--then
pointed to the sun and the tree, and shook his head again--then once
more to the sun and slowly upward to the top of the tree, and nodded in
affirmation.
She watched him with a puzzled frown.
"Are you trying to tell me why you do not speak?" she asked.
He nodded eagerly.
"Tell me again" . . . and she studied his motions carefully. . . "The
sun and the tree--and the sun and the tree again . . . is that your
meaning? . . . Ah! . . . the _top_ of the tree . . . I think I am
beginning to understand. . . . Where is your doublet?"
De Lacy pointed into the forest.
"And your bonnet? . . . with your doublet? . . . and your dagger? . . .
gone with the others? . . . you mean your ring? and it went with them,
too? . . . yes, yes--I see now--outlaws, and your wound got in the
struggle." . . . She turned toward the tree. . . "Ah! I have it:--you
are paroled to silence until the sun has risen above the highest
branch . . . what? . . . and also must remain here until then? . . . I
see--it was that or die . . . no? . . . Oh! that or be bound? . . .
well, truly the knaves were wondrous courteous!" . . . She studied De
Lacy's face a moment--then sat down. "Would you like company?" she
asked.
Would he like company! Her company!
She laughed gayly--though a bit of color touched her cheek.
"Thank you," she said, "I can read your countenance better than your
bows."
Then suddenly his face grew grave and he motioned no.
"Yes, and I can understand that, too," she smiled, "and thank you for
it. It may be a trifle uncommon to sit here in the depths of Windsor
forest with a man I never met . . . never even saw until last
night . . . and who has never spoken a single word to me . . . yet"
(glancing at the sun) "the time is not long and . . . the path is
rarely traveled."
He smiled--but the concern lingered in his eyes and he shook his head
questioningly.
"Nay, sir, do you not see your very urging me to go proves me safe in
staying?"
He hesitated, still doubtful--then threw himself on the turf at her
feet.
"I suppose it is for me to do the talking," she observed.
And as she talked he fell to watching the sun in her hair--the play of
her lips--the light in her eyes. . . . Never before would he have
believed that grey could be so deep and tender; or that a mouth could
be so tantalizing; or the curve of a cheek so sweet; or ruddy tresses
so alluring. . . . And her voice--was there ever such another!--soft,
low, clear, like silver bells at twilight out at sea.
And in the watching he lost her words, nor nodded when he
should--until, at length, she sprang up and went over to her horse.
And when in sharp contrition he followed after to apologize, she met
him with a laugh and gracious gesture--then pointed to the sun.
"The parole is lifted," she said. "Will you put me up?"
With his sound arm he swung her into saddle--and with Rollo in advance
and him beside her they went slowly back to Windsor. And now he did
the talking--telling first the story of the outlaws.
When the towers of the huge castle showed afar through the trees, De
Lacy halted.
"Would you deem me rude if I went no further with you?" he asked.