rth to march against the Southron, who, men say, are called
into the marches by the false Earl of March. So the Fair City is quit of
him and his cumber."

"But, in St. John's name, how came all that about," said Oliver, "and no
one spoken to about it?"

"Why, look thee, friend Oliver, this I take to have been the case. The
fellow whom I cropped of a hand is now said to have been a servant of
Sir John Ramorny's, who hath fled to his motherland of Fife, to which
Sir John himself is also to be banished, with full consent of every
honest man. Now, anything which brings in Sir John Ramorny touches
a much greater man--I think Simon Glover told as much to Sir Patrick
Charteris. If it be as I guess, I have reason to thank Heaven and all
the saints I stabbed him not upon the ladder when I made him prisoner."

"And I too thank Heaven and all the saints, most devoutly," said Oliver.
"I was behind thee, thou knowest, and--"

"No more of that, if thou be'st wise. There are laws against striking
princes," said the smith: "best not handle the horseshoe till it cools.
All is hushed up now."

"If this be so," said Oliver, partly disconcerted, but still more
relieved, by the intelligence he received from his better informed
friend, "I have reason to complain of Sir Patrick Charteris for jesting
with the honour of an honest burgess, being, as he is, provost of our
town."

"Do, Oliver; challenge him to the field, and he will bid his yeoman
loose his dogs on thee. But come, night wears apace, will you be
shogging?"

"Nay, I had one word more to say to thee, good gossip. But first,
another cup of your cold ale."

"Pest on thee for a fool! Thou makest me wish thee where told liquors
are a scarce commodity. There, swill the barrelful an thou wilt."

Oliver took the second flagon, but drank, or rather seemed to drink,
very slowly, in order to gain time for considering how he should
introduce his second subject of conversation, which seemed rather
delicate for the smith's present state of irritability. At length,
nothing better occurred to him than to plunge into the subject at once,
with, "I have seen Simon Glover today, gossip."

"Well," said the smith, in a low, deep, and stern tone of voice, "and if
thou hast, what is that to me?"

"Nothing--nothing," answered the appalled bonnet maker. "Only I thought
you might like to know that he questioned me close if I had seen thee
on St. Valentine's Day, after the uproar at the Dominican