e was dight with
the goodliest of saddles and bridles, and the bit of silver, but for
all that, both Osberne and Stephen, who was standing in the door, knew
the horse for their own nag, on whom Waywearer had ridden off the
yestermorn.

Now the lad cries out: "Is this the stead of Wethermel?" "Yea," said
Osberne; "what wouldst thou?" "I would see the goodman," says the
swain. "He is yet afield," said Osberne, "but if thou wilt come in and
have the bite and the sup thou mayst abide him, for he will not be
long."

"I may not," said the swain, "for time fails me; so I will say to thee
what I was to say to him, which is no long spell, to wit that
Waywearer sendeth home the horse the goodman lent him, and bids him
keep the gear on him in his memory." Therewith is he off the horse in
a twinkling and out through the garth gate, and away so swiftly that
they lost sight of him in a moment. Stephen laughed and said to
Osberne: "Waywearer is nowise debt-tough; now will our goodman be glad
tonight. But see thou! Look to the nag's shoes! If ever I saw silver
to know it, they be shod therewith." And so it was as he said, and the
silver nigh an inch thick.

Soon cometh home the goodman, and they tell him the tidings, and he
grows wondrous glad, and says that luck has come to Wethermel at last.
But thereafter they found that horse much bettered, so that he was the
best nag in all the Wethermel pastures.

Chapter XV. Surly John Brings a Guest to Wethermel

Wear the days now till it is the beginning of winter, and there is
nought new to tell of, till on a day when it began to dusk, and all
the household were gathered in the hall, one knocked at the door, and
when Stephen went thereto, who should follow him in save Surly John,
and with him a stranger, a big tall man, dark-haired and red-bearded,
wide-visaged, brown-eyed and red-cheeked, blotch-faced and insolent of
bearing. He was girt with a sword, had a shield at his back and bore a
spear in his hand, and was clad in a long byrny down to his knees. He
spake at once in a loud voice, ere Surly John got out the word: "May
Hardcastle be here tonight, ye folk?" The goodman quaked at the look
and the voice of him, and said: "Yea, surely, lord, if thou wilt have
it so."

But Osberne turned his head over his shoulder, for his back was toward
the door, and said: "Meat and drink and an ingle in the hall are free
to every comer to this house, whether he be earl or churl." Hardcastle
sc