that but one man had passed, he grew angrier than ever. While he
was still rating them, Ranier came up.

"Well, my lord," said the latter, "if you will go or send to examine,
you will find that twenty thousand trees are already cut, squared, and
made ready to be hauled to the king's palace-ground."

The ranger at once rode back into the forest, and, having counted the
number of piles, was much pleased, and ordered Ranier to come that day
week when the timber would be inspected, and if it were all properly
done he would receive the twenty thousand nobles agreed upon.

"Excuse me, my lord," suggested Ranier, "but the work has been done in
two days instead of thirty; and twenty-eight days off at a hundred
nobles per day makes twenty-two thousand eight hundred nobles as my
due."

"True," replied the ranger; "and if you want money now--"

"Oh no!" interrupted Ranier, "I have three groats in my purse, and ten
more at home, which will be quite sufficient for my needs."

At this the ranger laughed outright, and then rode away.

At the end of a week, Ranier sought the ranger's castle, and there
received not only an order on the king's treasurer for the money, but
also the patent of deputy-ranger of the king's forest, and the allotment
of a handsome house in which to live. Thither Ranier brought his mother,
and as he was now rich, he bought him fine clothing, and hired him
servants, and lived in grand style, performing all the duties of his
office as though he had been used to it all his life. People noticed,
however, that the new deputy-ranger never went out without his ax, which
occasioned some gossip at first; but some one having suggested that he
did so to show that he was not ashamed of his former condition, folk
were satisfied,--though the truth was that he carried the ax for service
only.

Now it happened that Ranier was walking alone one evening in the forest
to observe whether any one was trying to kill the king's deer, and while
there, he heard the clash of swords. On going to the spot whence the
noise came, he saw a cavalier richly clad, with his back to a tree,
defending himself as he best might, from a half dozen men in armor, each
with his visor down. Ranier had no sword, for, not being a knight, it
was forbidden him to bear such a weapon; but he bethought him of his ax,
and hoped it might serve the men as it had the trees. So he wished these
cowardly assailants killed, and when he uttered the prescribed wor