he rock o'er-grown with bush and creeping vines; this Beltane
saw ere he stepped out into the cool, sweet air of dawn. A while he
stood to stare up at the sky where yet a few stars showed paling to the
day, and to drink in mighty breaths of the fragrant air. And thus,
plain to his ears, stole the ripple of running water hard by, and going
thitherward he stripped, and naked came down to the stream where was a
misty pool and plunged him therein. Now as he bathed him thus, gasping
somewhat because of the cold, yet glorying in the rush and tingle of
his blood, behold, the leaves parted near by, and uprising in his naked
might, Beltane beheld the face of one that watched him intently.

"Master!" cried a voice harsh but very joyful, "O dear, my lord!" And
Roger sprang down the bank and heedless of the water, plunged in to
catch Beltane's hands and kiss them. "Master!" he cried. And thus it
was these two met again. And presently, having donned clothes and
harness, Beltane sat down him beside the brook, head upon hand, staring
at the swift-running water, whiles Roger, sitting near, watched him in
a silent ecstasy.

"Whence come ye, Roger?"

"From Thrasfordham-within-Bourne, lord. Ho, a mighty place, great and
strong as Sir Benedict himself. And within Thrasfordham be many lusty
fighting men who wait thy coming,--for, master, Bourne, aye and all the
Duchy, doth ring with tales of thy deeds."

"Hath Sir Benedict many men?"

"Aye--within Thrasfordham five hundred and more."

"So few, Roger?"

"And mayhap as many again in Bourne. But, for Sir Benedict--a right
lusty knight in sooth, master! and he doth hunger for sight of thee. He
hath had me, with Walkyn and the archer, speak full oft of how we fired
the gibbet and roars mighty laughs to hear how thou didst bear off Sir
Pertolepe in the green--aye, Sir Benedict doth love to hear tell of
that."

"Aye; and what of Duke Ivo--where is he now, Roger?"

"He hath reinforced Belsaye garrison and all the coast towns and
castles of the Marches, and lieth at Pentavalon, gathering his powers
to attack Thrasfordham, so men say, and hath sworn to burn it within
the year, and all therein save only Sir Benedict--him will he hang;
'tis so proclaimed far and wide."

"And do men yet come in to Sir Benedict?"

"Not so, master. Since Duke Ivo came they are afraid."

"Ha! And what of the outlaws--there be many wild men within the
forests."

"The outlaws--hey, that doth mind me. I, with