ews
of Ludar's maiden.

I remembered what Tom Price in his drunken speech had said of the
nunnery, hard by which was a certain tavern by name of the "Oriflame,"
where I was like to hear of the English soldier, Jack Gedge. Thither,
accordingly, I went, being told I should find it outside the walls on
the Dover road.

'Twas a low, mean house, with little accommodation for man or beast,
being, indeed, as much farmhouse as hostel, with naught but the flaming
sign to tell me I might wade through the muck and litter to the door and
there call for refreshment.

The host was a civil, stupid fellow, who eyed me like one from whom he
suspected mischief, and seemed impatient till I had drained my pot and
was gone.

But I had no thought of going, and bade him, since business kept me that
night in Canterbury, get me a bed.

He declared he had none to spare, and that I might get better quarters
in the town. But I replied I wanted no better quarters than the
"Oriflame," and if it came to a lack of beds, he and I could do with one
betwixt us.

"Or," said I, "if, as I am told, my old friend and comrade Jack Gedge,
once a soldier, lodgeth here, he and I will not quarrel over our share
of a crib."

At that he looked uneasy and said Jack Gedge was not there. He would
have me believe at first he knew no man of the name; but I wormed it out
of him that a month back a fellow had come and taken service with him as
drawer and labourer, calling himself plain Gedge. But only a week ago,
as this same fellow was bringing in the pigs, a handful of men had set
upon him, with a magistrate's warrant, and arrested him as a deserted
soldier, skulking to avoid her Majesty's service, and had carried him
away to Rochester gaol. I questioned him as to who his captors were,
but he said he knew them not, but supposed them to be men in the company
of the Captain whose colours the fellow had abandoned.

Knowing what I did, I guessed this was so, and that it had been part of
a plan against the maiden thus to get one of her protectors out of the
way.

"And have you had much company here of late," I asked, "that your house
is so full?"

He looked queerly at me, for he knew as well as I there was no guest but
myself beneath the roof.

"By your leave," said he, "I am ill prepared to make any guest welcome,
and pray you do me the favour to seek entertainment elsewhere."

"Nay," said I, "I like the place. And if you suspect me, let me tell
you I