CHAPTER IV. HOW THE BAILIFF OF SOUTHAMPTON SLEW THE TWO MASTERLESS MEN.

eredittoAlleyneforasilvergroat.Verygladhewastogetsafelypastthem,for,withtheirbristlingredbeardsandtheirfierceblueeyes,theywereuneasymentobargainwithuponalonelymoor. Yetitisnotalwaystheburliestandthewildestwhoarethemosttobedreaded.Theworkerslookedhungrilyathim,andthenjoggedonwardsupontheirwayinslow,lumberingSaxonstyle.Aworsemantodealwithwasawooden-leggedcripplewhocamehobblingdownthepath,soweakandsooldtoallappearancethatachildneednotstandinfearofhim.YetwhenAlleynehadpassedhim,ofasudden,outofpuredevilment,hescreamedoutacurseathim,andsentajaggedflintstonehurtlingpasthisear.Sohorridwasthecauselessrageofthecrookedcreature,thattheclerkcameoveracoldthrill,andtooktohisheelsuntilhewasoutofshotfromstoneorword.ItseemedtohimthatinthiscountryofEnglandtherewasnoprotectionforamansavethatwhichlayinthestrengthofhisownarmandthespeedofhisownfoot.Inthecloistershehadheardvaguetalkofthelaw—themightylawwhichwashigherthanprelateorbaron,yetnosigncouldheseeofit.Whatwasthebenefitofalawwrittenfairuponparchment,hewondered,iftherewerenoofficerstoenforceit.Asitfellout,however,hehadthatveryevening,erethesunhadset,achanceofseeinghowsternwasthegripoftheEnglishlawwhenitdidhappentoseizetheoffender. Amileorsooutuponthemoortheroadtakesaverysuddendipintoahollow,withapeat-coloredstreamrunningswiftlydownthecentreofit.Totherightofthisstood,andstandstothisday,anancientbarrow,orburyingmound,covereddeeplyinabristleofheatherandbracken.Alleynewasploddingdowntheslopeupononeside,whenhesawanolddamecomingtowardshimupontheother,limpingwithwearinessandleaningheavilyuponastick.Whenshereachedtheedgeofthestreamshestoodhelpless,lookingtorightandtoleftforsomeford.Wherethepathrandownagreatstonehadbeenfixedinthecentreofthebrook,butitwastoofarfromthebankforheragedanduncertainfeet.Twiceshethrustforwardatit,andtwiceshedrewback,untilatlast,givingupindespair,shesatherselfdownbythebrinkandwrungherhandswearily.ThereshestillsatwhenAlleynereachedthecrossing. “Come,mother,”quothhe,“itisnotsoveryperilousapassage.” “Alas!goodyouth,”sheanswered,“Ihaveahumorintheeyes,andthoughIcanseethatthereisastonethereIcanbynomeansbesureastowhereitlies.” “Thatiseasilyamended,”saidhecheerily,andpickingherlightlyup,forshewasmuchwornwithtime,hepassedacrosswithher.Hecouldnotbutobserve,however,thatasheplacedherdownherkneesseemedtofailher,andshecouldscarcelypropherselfupwithherstaff. “Youareweak,mother,”saidhe.“Hastjourneyedfar,Iwot.” “FromWiltshire,friend,”saidshe,inaquaveringvoice“threedayshaveIbeenontheroad.Igotomyson,whoisoneoftheKing'sregardersatBrockenhurst.Hehaseversaidthathewouldcareformeinmineoldage.” “Andrightlytoo,mother,sinceyoucaredforhiminhisyouth.Butwhenhaveyoubrokenfast?” “AtLyndenhurstbutalas!mymoneyisatanend,andIcouldbutgetadishofbran-porridgefromthenunnery.YetItrustthatImaybeabletoreachBrockenhurstto-night,whereImayhaveallthatheartcandesireforoh!sir,butmysonisafineman,withakindlyheartofhisown,anditisasgoodasfoodtometothinkthatheshouldhaveadoubletofLincolngreentohisbackandbetheKing'sownpaidman.” “ItisalongroadyettoBrockenhurst,”saidAlleyne“buthereissuchbreadandcheeseasIhaveleft,andhere,too,isapennywhichmayhelpyoutosupper.MayGodbewithyou!” “MayGodbewithyou,youngman!”shecried.“MayHemakeyourheartasgladasyouhavemademine!”Sheturnedaway,stillmumblingblessings,andAlleynesawhershortfigureandherlongshadowstumblingslowlyuptheslope. Hewasmovingawayhimself,whenhiseyeslituponastrangesight,andonewhichsentatinglingthroughhisskin.Outofthetangledscrubontheoldovergrownbarrowtwohumanfaceswerelookingoutathimthesinkingsunglimmeredfulluponthem,showingupeverylineandfeature.Theonewasanoldishmanwithathinbeard,acrookednose,andabroadredsmudgefromabirth-markoverhistempletheotherwasanegro,athingrarelymetinEnglandatthatday,andrarerstillinthequietsouthlandparts.Alleynehadreadofsuchfolk,buthadneverseenonebefore,andcouldscarcetakehiseyesfromthefellow'sbroadpoutinglipandshiningteeth.Evenashegazed,however,thetwocamewrithingoutfromamongtheheather,andcamedowntowardshimwithsuchaguilty,slinkingcarriage,thattheclerkfeltthattherewasnogoodinthem,andhastenedonwardsuponhisway. Hehadnotgainedthecrownofthes