ge street, all was silent and dark. The windows were shut, the
doors were barred, and the village had become a street of living
tombs.

"What means this?" said the Lord James; "the people are surely afraid
of us."

"'Tis doubtless but their wonted welcome to their lord, the Sieur de
Retz. He seems to be popular wherever he goes," said Malise, grimly;
"but let us dismount and see if we can get stabling for our beasts.
Did they not tell us there was not another house for miles betwixt
here and Machecoul?"

So without waiting for dissent or counter opinion, the master armourer
went directly up to the door of the most respectable-appearing house
in the village, one which stood a little back from the road and was
surrounded by a wall. Here he dismounted and knocked loudly with his
sword-hilt upon the outer gate. The noise reverberated up and down the
street, and was tossed back in undiminished volume from the green wall
of pines which hemmed in the village.

But there was no answer, and Malise grew rapidly weary of his own
clamour.

"Hold my bridle," he said curtly to Sholto, and with a single push of
his shoulders he broke the wooden bar, and the two halves of the outer
gate fell apart before him. A great, smooth-haired yellow dog of the
country rushed furiously at the intruders, but Malise, who was as
dexterous as he was powerful, received him with so sound a buffet on
the head that he paused bewildered, shaking his ears, whereat Malise
picked him up, tucked him under his arm, and with thumbs about his
windpipe effectually choked his barking. Then releasing him, Malise
took no further notice of this valorous enemy, and the poor, loyal,
baffled beast, conscious of defeat, crept shamefacedly away to hide
his disgrace among the faggots.

But Malise was growing indignant and therefore dangerous and ill to
cross.

"Never did I see such mannerless folk," he growled; "they will not
even give a stranger a word or a bite for his beast."

Then he called to his companions, "Come hither and speak to these
cravens ere I burst their inner doors as well."

At this by no means empty threat came the Lord James and spoke aloud
in his cheery voice to those within the silent house: "Good people, we
are no robbers, but poor travellers and strangers. Be not afraid. All
we want is that you should tell us which house is the inn that we may
receive refreshment for ourselves and our horses."

Then there came a voice from behind the do