inquiry into the matter there was none. That gentlemen should meet in the
forest and commit, or try to commit, murder on each other's bodies, was
far too common a mishap in the ages of faith to stir up more than an extra
gossiping and cackling among the women, and an extra cursing and
threatening among the men; and as the former were all but unanimously on
Hereward's side, his plain and honest story was taken as it stood.

"And now, fair lady," said Hereward to his hostess, "I must thank you for
all your hospitality, and bid you farewell forever and a day."

She wept, and entreated him only to stay till her lord came back; but
Hereward was firm.

"You, lady, and your good lord will I ever love; and at your service my
sword shall ever be: but not here. Ill blood I will not make. Among
traitors I will not dwell. I have killed two of them, and shall have to
kill two of their kinsmen next, and then two more, till you have no
knights left; and pity that would be. No; the world is wide, and there are
plenty of good fellows in it who will welcome me without forcing me to
wear mail under my coat out hunting."

And he armed himself _cap-a-pie_, and rode away. Great was the
weeping in the bower, and great the chuckling in the hall: but never saw
they Hereward again upon the Scottish shore.




CHAPTER III.