forsooth, as Richard and the Sage both wotted of the
place of the slaying of the Lady, and he himself had every yard of the
way in his mind as they went, it seemed but due that they should have
known of this place also, what betid there: but it was not so, and the
place was to Richard like any other lawn of the woodland.

But thought came back to Ralph in a moment, and he smiled at his own
folly, howbeit he could not do to lie another night on that lawn with
other folk than erst. So he said quietly: "Nay, friend, were we not
better to make the most of this daylight? Seest thou it wants yet an
hour of sunset?"

Richard nodded a yeasay, and the Sage said no word more; but Ursula
cast her anxious look on Ralph as though she understood what was moving
in him; and therewith those others rode away lightly, but Ralph turned
slowly from the oak-tree, and might not forbear looking on to the short
sward round about, as if he hoped to see some token left behind. Then
he lifted up his face as one awaking, shook his rein, and rode after
the others down the long water.

So they turned from the water anon, and rode the woodland ways, and lay
that night by a stream that ran west.

They arose betimes on the morrow, and whereas the Sage knew the
woodland ways well, they made but a short journey of it to the Castle
of Abundance, and came into the little plain but two hours after noon,
where saving that the scythe had not yet wended the tall mowing grass
in the crofts which the beasts and sheep were not pasturing, all was as
on that other tide. The folk were at work in their gardens, or herding
their cattle in the meads, and as aforetime they were merry of
countenance and well-clad, fair and gentle to look on.

There were their pleasant cots, and the little white church, and the
fair walls of the castle on its low mound, and the day bright and
sunny, all as aforetime, and Ralph looked on it all, and made no
countenance of being moved beyond his wont.

So they came out of the wood, and rode to the ford of the river, and
the carles and queans came streaming from their garths and meads to
meet them, and stood round wondering at them; but an old carle came
from out the throng and went up to Ralph, and hailed him, and said:
"Oh, Knight! and hast thou come back to us? and has thou brought us
tidings of our Lady? Who is this fair woman that rideth with thee? Is
it she?"

Spake Ralph: "Nay; go look on her closely, and tell me thy de