be those that had
accompanied Gregory. A little farther was an open space, where lay three
bodies of dead or wounded men; beside these was Lady Emma, apparently
lifeless, her brother and a young forester bending over and endeavouring
to recover her. By employing the usual remedies, this was soon
accomplished; while Lord Boteler, astonished at such a scene, anxiously
inquired at St. Clere the meaning of what he saw, and whether more danger
was to be expected?

"For the present, I trust not," said the young warrior, who they now
observed was slightly wounded; "but I pray you, of your nobleness, let
the woods here be searched; for we were assaulted by four of these base
assassins, and I see three only on the sward."

The attendants now brought forward the person whom they had rescued from
the dogs, and Henry, with disgust, shame, and astonishment, recognized
his kinsman, Gaston St. Clere. This discovery he communicated in a
whisper to Lord Boteler, who commanded the prisoner to be conveyed to
Queen-Hoo Hall and closely guarded; meanwhile he anxiously inquired of
young St. Clere about his wound. "A scratch, a trifle!" cried Henry; "I
am in less haste to bind it than to introduce to you one without whose
aid that of the leech would have come too late. Where is he? Where is my
brave deliverer?"

"Here, most noble lord," said Gregory, sliding from his palfrey and
stepping forward, "ready to receive the guerdon which your bounty would
heap on him."

"Truly, friend Gregory," answered the young warrior, "thou shalt not be
forgotten; for thou didst run speedily and roar manfully for aid, without
which, I think verily, we had not received it. But the brave forester who
came to my rescue when these three ruffians had nigh overpowered me,
where is he?"

Every one looked around; but though all had seen him on entering the
thicket, he was not now to be found. They could only conjecture that he
had retired during the confusion occasioned by the detention of Gaston.

"Seek not for him," said the Lady Emma, who had now in some degree
recovered her composure; "he will not be found of mortal, unless at his
own season."

The baron, convinced from this answer that her terror had, for the time,
somewhat disturbed her reason, forebore to question her; and Matilda and
Eleanor, to whom a message had been despatched with the result of this
strange adventure, arriving, they took the Lady Emma between them, and
all in a body returned to the