s possession.

When Glendower bid them adieu, he presented each of them with rings,
similar to those he himself wore.

"You have promised that you will not fight against me again; but it may
be that, on some errand or other, you may ride into Wales; or that you
may be staying, as you did before, at some castle or town near the
border, when we attack it. You have but to show these rings to any
Welshman you may come across, and you may be sure of being well
treated, as one of my friends.

"I trust that, when we meet again, the war will be over; and that my
title to the kingdom of Wales may be recognized, by your king and
people, as it is on this side of the border."

"Well, Sir Oswald," Roger said, as they rode away, accompanied by
twenty of Glendower's followers, under the orders of an officer; "we
have got out of that scrape better than could have been expected. When
you and I were alone, in the midst of that crowd of Welshmen, I thought
that it was all over with us."

"So did I, Roger. You see, that matter of our getting Glendower's
daughters away, uninjured, has borne good fruit."

"It has indeed," Roger agreed. "I thought it much more likely, too,
that it would have gone the other way."

"Be sure you keep a silent tongue as to that, Roger; and remember that
our story is, that I have been put at knightly ransom, and on the
condition that I will never serve in Wales again. When we once get
across the border we will ride straight for Northumberland, without
going near Ludlow. I observed that the king much doubted the Mortimers,
and were we to return there, and the news came to his ears, he might
take it as a proof that there was an understanding between Glendower
and Mortimer; and that it was to this that leniency, such as had been
shown to no other prisoners, was due; whereas, if we go straight to
Percy, 'tis not likely that the matter will ever come to his hearing,
and at any rate, if it did so, he would scarce connect Mortimer with
our escape."

"I understand, Sir Oswald; and will, you may be sure, keep silent as to
aught beyond what you have bade me say."

Two days' journey brought them to the house of Glendower's married
daughter. On the officer stating that the knight with him had been
sent, under his escort, by Glendower himself, she requested that he
should be shown in. Her husband was away.

"What is the knight's name?" she asked.

"Sir Oswald Forster, Lady."

"I have never, so far as I know, he