material and fashion. Seeing
that her kind entertainers would be hurt by the offer of money, the lady
contented herself with thanking Madge warmly, and saying that she hoped
to come across the bridge one day with Dame Fletcher; then, under the
guidance of Geoffrey, who insisted on carrying the boy, she set out from
the smith's cottage. They passed under the outer gate and across the
bridge, which later on was covered with a double line of houses and
shops, but was now a narrow structure. Over the gateway across the
river, upon pikes, were a number of heads and human limbs. The lady
shuddered as she looked up.

"It is an ugly sight," the smith said, "and I can see no warrant for
such exposure of the dead. There are the heads of Wallace, of three of
Robert Bruce's brothers, and of many other valiant Scotsmen who fought
against the king's grandfather some twenty years back. But after all
they fought for their country, just as Harold and our ancestors against
the Normans under William, and I think it a foul shame that men who have
done no other harm should be beheaded, still less that their heads and
limbs should be stuck up there gibbering at all passers-by. There are
over a score of them, and every fresh trouble adds to their number; but
pardon me," he said suddenly as a sob from the figure by his side called
his attention from the heads on the top of the gateway, "I am rough and
heedless in speech, as my sister Madge does often tell me, and it may
well be that I have said something which wounded you."

"You meant no ill," the lady replied; "it was my own thoughts and
troubles which drew tears from me; say not more about it, I pray you."

They passed under the gateway, with its ghastly burden, and were soon in
the crowded streets of London. High overhead the houses extended, each
story advancing beyond that below it until the occupiers of the attics
could well-nigh shake hands across. They soon left the more crowded
streets, and turning to the right, after ten minutes walking, the smith
stopped in front of a bowyer shop near Aldgate.

"This is the shop," he said, "and there is Giles Fletcher himself trying
the spring and pull of one of his bows. Here I will leave you, and will
one of these days return to inquire if your health has taken ought of
harm by the rough buffeting of the storm of yester-even."

So saying he handed the child to its mother, and with a wave of the hand
took his leave, not waiting to listen to t