had the air of one to be obeyed.

"I am of the Duke's army," he said, "and was sent on to reconnoitre the
forest roads I stumbled on this hut and found four men about to slay a
wounded English. One lies outside where I flung him, another is there
with a cracked skull, and you have before you the remnant."

The knight seemed to consider. "And why should a soldier of the Duke's
be so careful of English lives?" he asked.

"I would help my lord Duke to conquer this land," was the answer. "We
have broken their army and the way is straight before us. We shall have
to fight other armies, but we cannot be fighting all our days, and we do
not conquer England till England accepts us. I have heard enough of that
stubborn people to know that the way to win them is not by murder. At
fair fight, and then honest dealing and mercy, say I."

The knight laughed. "A Solomon in judgment," he cried. "But who are you
that bear a sword and wear gold on your finger?"

The old squire broke in. "My lord Count, I know the man. He is a hunter
of the Lord Odo's, and has a name for valour. He wrought mightily this
morning on the hill. They call him Jehan the Hunter, and sometimes Jehan
the Outborn, for no man knows his comings. There is a rumour that he is
of high blood, and truly in battle he bears himself like a prince. The
monks loved him not, but the Lord Odo favoured him."

The knight looked steadily for the space of a moment at the tall
soldier, and his light eyes seemed to read deep. "Are you that man," he
asked at last, and got the reply: "I am Jehan the Hunter."

"Bid my fellows attend to yon scum," he told his squire. "The camp
marshal will have fruit for his gallows. The sweepings of all Europe
have drifted with us to England, and it is our business to make bonfire
of them before they breed a plague.... See to the wounded man, likewise.
He may be one of the stout house-carles who fought with Harold at
Stamford, and to meet us raced like a gale through the length of
England. By the Mount of the Archangel, I would fain win such mettle to
our cause."

Presently the hut was empty save for the two soldiers, who faced each
other while the lantern flickered to its end on the rafters.

"The good Odo is dead," said the knight. "An arrow in the left eye has
bereft our Duke of a noble ally and increased the blessedness of the
City of Paradise. You are masterless now. Will you ride with me on my
service, you Jehan the Hunter? It would appea