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

r,andapotofwinetotheluckymarksman.” Asitchanced,however,thesearchershadnotfartoseek.Thenegrohadburroweddownintohishiding-placeuponthebarrow,wherehemighthavelainsnugenough,haditnotbeenfortheredgearuponhishead.Asheraisedhimselftolookoverthebrackenathisenemies,thestaringcolorcaughttheeyeofthebailiff,whobrokeintoalongscreechingwhoopandspurredforwardswordinhand.Seeinghimselfdiscovered,themanrushedoutfromhishiding-place,andboundedatthetopofhisspeeddownthelineofarchers,keepingagoodhundredpacestothefrontofthem.ThetwowhowereoneithersideofAlleynebenttheirbowsascalmlyasthoughtheywereshootingatthepopinjayatthevillagefair. “Sevenyardswindage,Hal,”saidone,whosehairwasstreakedwithgray. “Five,”repliedtheother,lettingloosehisstring.Alleynegaveagulpinhisthroat,fortheyellowstreakseemedtopassthroughthemanbuthestillranforward. “Seven,youjack-fool,”growledthefirstspeaker,andhisbowtwangedlikeaharp-string.Theblackmanspranghighupintotheair,andshotoutbothhisarmsandhislegs,comingdownalla-sprawlamongtheheather.“Rightunderthebladebone!”quoththearcher,saunteringforwardforhisarrow. “Theoldhoundisthebestwhenallissaid,”quoththebailiffofSouthampton,astheymadebackfortheroadway.“ThatmeansaquartofthebestmalmseyinSouthamptonthisverynight,MatthewAtwood.Artsurethatheisdead?” “DeadasPontiusPilate,worshipfulsir.” “Itiswell.Now,astotheotherknave.Therearetreesandtospareoveryonder,butwehavescarceleisuretomakeforthem.Drawthysword,ThomasofRedbridge,andhewmehisheadfromhisshoulders.” “Aboon,gracioussir,aboon!”criedthecondemnedman. “Whatthen?”askedthebailiff. “Iwillconfesstomycrime.ItwasindeedIandtheblackcook,bothfromtheship'LaRosedeGloire,'ofSouthampton,whodidsetupontheFlandersmerchantandrobhimofhisspiceryandhismercery,forwhich,aswewellknow,youholdawarrantagainstus.” “Thereislittlemeritinthisconfession,”quoththebailiffsternly.“Thouhastdoneevilwithinmybailiwick,andmustdie.” “But,sir,”urgedAlleyne,whowaswhitetothelipsatthesebloodydoings,“hehathnotyetcometotrial.” “Youngclerk,”saidthebailiff,“youspeakofthatofwhichyouknownothing.Itistruethathehathnotcometotrial,butthetrialhathcometohim.Hehathfledthelawandisbeyonditspale.Touchnotthatwhichisnoconcernofthine.Butwhatisthisboon,rogue,whichyouwouldcrave?” “Ihaveinmyshoe,mostworshipfulsir,astripofwoodwhichbelongedoncetothebarkwhereintheblessedPaulwasdashedupagainsttheislandofMelita.IboughtitfortworosenoblesfromashipmanwhocamefromtheLevant.TheboonIcraveisthatyouwillplaceitinmyhandsandletmediestillgraspingit.Inthismanner,notonlyshallmyowneternalsalvationbesecured,butthinealso,forIshallneverceasetointercedeforthee.” Atthecommandofthebailifftheypluckedoffthefellow'sshoe,andtheresureenoughatthesideoftheinstep,wrappedinapieceoffinesendall,layalong,darksplinterofwood.Thearchersdoffedcapsatthesightofit,andthebailiffcrossedhimselfdevoutlyashehandedittotherobber. “Ifitshouldchance,”hesaid,“thatthroughthesurpassingmeritsoftheblessedPaulyoursin-stainedsoulshouldgainawayintoparadise,Itrustthatyouwillnotforgetthatintercessionwhichyouhavepromised.Bearinmindtoo,thatitisHerwardthebailiffforwhomyoupray,andnotHerwardthesheriff,whoismyuncle'sson.Now,Thomas,Iprayyoudispatch,forwehavealongridebeforeusandsunhasalreadyset.” Alleynegazeduponthescene—theportlyvelvet-cladofficial,theknotofhard-facedarcherswiththeirhandstothebridlesoftheirhorses,thethiefwithhisarmstrussedbackandhisdoubletturneddownuponhisshoulders.Bythesideofthetracktheolddamewasstanding,fasteningherredwhimpleoncemoreroundherhead.Evenashelookedoneofthearchersdrewhisswordwithasharpwhirrofsteelandsteptuptothelostman.Theclerkhurriedawayinhorrorbut,erehehadgonemanypaces,heheardasudden,sullenthump,withachoking,whistlingsoundattheendofit.AminutelaterthebailiffandfourofhismenrodepasthimontheirjourneybacktoSouthampton,theothertwohavingbeenchosenasgrave-diggers.AstheypassedAlleynesawthatoneofthemenwaswipinghissword-bladeuponthemaneofhishorse.Adeadlysicknesscameoverhimatthesight,andsittingdownbythewaysideheburstoutweeping,withhisnervesallinajangle.Itwasaterribleworldthoughthe,anditwashardtoknowwhichwerethemosttobedreaded,theknavesorthemenofthelaw.