lian who entered the gate and
went up to their sleeping room. However, as nobody at the larger
entrance had seen the three sally forth, no remark was occasioned
by the return of only two; and it was supposed that Edred would
have retired early, since he was in somewhat battered plight, and
had to recover strength for the early start upon the morrow.

When they reached their room that night, Bertram and Julian
carefully locked the door behind them--a precaution they did not
often take; and when they took from the great chest their own best
riding suits, they also took out Edred's and looked it well over.

"It will fit him to a nicety," said Bertram. "He and Edred are
almost of a height, and both slim and slightly built. His pale
face, so much as may be seen beneath the white linen, will look
mightily like Edred's in the gray light of the early morn. This hat
has a mighty wide brim--well that Edred affects such headgear.
Pulled over his eyes, as he wore it yesterday, there be scarce a
feature to be seen. We have but to say he is something late, take
him his breakfast to eat up here, and get him on to horseback
whilst all the bustle is going on, and not even our father will
know him. He may ride past the spies with head erect and fearless
mien, for there is not one of them but saw Edred this day, and will
know at a glance who rides betwixt us twain with the white linen
about his head!"

Sir Oliver had decided rather late in the day to take his lady with
him. She was in great favour always with the queen, and of late
they had heard that the health of that gracious lady was something
failing. It would be a graceful attention on the part of the
mistress of Chad to visit her and learn of her welfare, and it was
known that the queen had considerable influence with the king, and
he might well give more favourable notice to Sir Oliver's plea were
his wife to urge it upon him in response to what the lady might
tell to her of their recent troubles with their haughty neighbour.

So that there was even more stir and excitement than usually
attended an early morning's start. The sun was not yet up, and the
gray dimness of the coming summer's day enshrouded the great
courtyard as Bertram and Julian descended to it with a slim figure
between them clad in a riding dress similar to their own, the
slouched hat drawn over the face, which face was well wrapped and
muffled in white linen, as Edred's had been the previous day.

The lady