ng from
his eyes. With a motion that was at once despairing and majestic he
turned to face his pursuers as a pack of hounds dashed from the trees and
surrounded him, making the air hideous with their clamor.

Instantly the maiden fitted a shaft to her bow and let fly a bolt as the
tutor uttered a shrill cry of remonstrance:

"Stay thy hand, girl! Knowest thou not the danger?"

Before the wounded animal could turn to charge this new assailant an
answering twang sounded from among the trees and a second arrow, sent
with unerring precision, imbedded itself in the deer's body. As the stag
fell, a lad of some sixteen years, clad in the dress of a forester, ran
hastily forward and reached the animal at the same moment that Francis
did.

"Behold, cousin," cried the girl triumphantly, "I have slain the deer.
Could thy Lady Jane Grey have done so well, thinkest thou?"

"Nay, fair maid," and the boy turned quickly, "'twas mine own bolt that
did the deed. Behold for thyself that thy shaft struck too far to the
left."

"'Tis false," cried Francis angrily. "'Twas mine arrow that slew him.
This one is mine, and thou seest that it alone hath entered the vital
part. 'Tis thine that is too far to the left."

"Nay; not mine, but thine," retorted the lad. "What? Would I, who lack
but little of man's estate be excelled by a girl? See for thyself,
mistress. The two are not an inch apart. The point is only which did the
deed. On mine honor, I tell thee, that it was mine own arrow. Thou seest
that it hath penetrated deeper than thine."

"I see naught of the kind," answered Francis with passion. "It was mine
that did it."

"Good master," said the boy appealing to the tutor, "didst mark that the
stag fell not until he received my shot?"

"Ay! I noted it, lad, and 'tis a point well taken," quoth Master Hugh.
"But a truce to thy quibbling. Here are the huntsmen."

The noise of the horns had been growing louder and louder as the hunting
party drew near, but the boy and girl were so absorbed in their
controversy that they had not heeded it.

"Fair maiden, there is a penalty," began the lad, but one of the hunters
called out:

"Beshrew me! if the quarry be not slain! What varlet hath done this?"

As Francis started forward the lad spoke,

"I, good my master. Give me thy knife, I pray thee, that I may make the
essay."

"What, ho, boy? Thou? Then instead of breaking the stag, thou shalt break
the jail. Knowest thou not that it is