Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-12
CHAPTER Ix.-continued.

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STAND off my land." the man said
fercely. needless of the blood which trickled
freely from his fingers. What have you 10
do here? BY your dress you should be
OF those cursed clerks who overrun the land
like vile rats, poking and prying into other
mems concerns. too caitiff to fight and too
lazy to work. BY the rood If had my will
upon We. should nail you upon the abbey
doors, as they hang vermin before their
holes. Art neither man nor woman young
shaveling. Get thee back to thy fellows,
ere lay hands upon you: for your foot Is
on my land, and ! may slay you as a COM
mon draw-latch."
rs this your land. them" gasped Alleyne
Would you dispute it. dog? Would you
wish by trick or bubble to juggle me out of
these last acres? Know, base-born knave,
that you have dared this day to stand in the
path of one whose race have been the adj
visers of kings and the leaders of hosts. ere
ever this vile crew of Norman robbers came
INTO the land, or such half-blDod hounds as
you were let loose to preach that the thief
should have his booty and the honest man
own
You are the Socman Of Minstead?'
That am /: and the son Of Edric the
Socman. OF the pure blood of Godfrey, the
tnane, by the only daughter of the house
morse banner at the fatal fight where our
shield was broken and our sword shivered.
ten you, clerk. that my folk held this land
from Sramshaw Wood to the Ringwood
road; and, by the soul of my father! 1T will
be strange thing IL am to be bearded
upon the little that is left of it. Be gone,
l say, and meddle not with my affair
woman, then shame forever upon your
manhood"
Surely, SIR" said Alleyne, speaking In as
persuasive and soothing way as he could,
IF your birth Is gentle there Is the more
reason that your manners should be gentle.
TOO am well persuaded that you did but
jest with this lady, and that you will now
permit her to leave your land, either alone
or with me as guide, If she should need
one, through the wood. AS to BIRTH 1t does
not become me to boast, and there is soott
IN what you say as to the unworthiness of
clerks but 1t is none the less true that I
am as we'll born as YOU
Dog! cried the furious socman, there is
no man in the south who can say as much"
Yet can H. said Alleyne, smiling; .'for
indeed l also am the son of Edric, the Soc
man. of the pure blood of Godfrey. the
thane, by the only daughter of AIuric of
Brockenhurst. Surely, dear brother" he
continued. holding out his hand, you have
warmer greeting than this for me. There
are but two boughs left upon this DID, old
Saxon trunk"
His elder brother dashed his hand aside
with an OATH while an expression of malig-
features,
You are the young cub of Beaulieu,
them said he. 81 might have known it by
the sleek face and the slavish manner too
monk-ridden and craven in spirit to an
swer back rough word. Thy father
shaveling, with all his faults, had a mans
heart; and there were few who could look
him in the eyes on the day of his anger
But you! Look there rat on yonder field
where the cows Craze, and on that other
beyond, and on the orchard hard by the
church. Do you know that all these were
squeezed out of your dying father by greedy
priests, to pay for your up-bringing in the
cloisters? /, the socman, shorn of my
lands that you may SWIVEL Latin and eat
bread for which you never did hands turn.
You rob me first. and now you would come
preaching and whining, in searching may
hap of another field two for your priestly
friends. Knave! my dogs shall be set upon
you; but, meanwhile, stand out of my
path, and stop me at your peril!' AS he
spoke, he rushed forward and, throwing the
lad to one side, caught the woman's wrist.
Alleyne, however, as active as a young deer
by the other arm. raising his iron-shod staff
as he did so.
You may say what you will to me- he
said. between his clinched teeth-'it may
be no better than deserve; but, brother
or not. l swear by my hopes of salvation
that l will break your arm If you do not
leave hold of the maidr'
There was a ring in his voice and a flash
would follow quick at the heels of the word
For a moment the blood of the long line of
hot-headed thames was too strong for the
soft whisperings of the doctrine of meek
ness and mercy. He was conscious of a
fierce, wild thrill through his nerves, and
throb of mad gladness at his heart, as
his real human self burst for an instant
the bonds of custom and of teaching which
had held it so long. The socman sprung
back looking to left and to right for some
stick or stone which might serve him for
weapon; but finding none, he turned and
ran at the top of his speed for the house,
blowing the while upon shrill whistle
Gomez gasped the woman. Fly, friend,
ere he come backi''
NAY, let him GOMEZ cried Alleyne. 81
snail not bulge a foot for him or his dogs
Come, Gomez she cried Juggling at his
arm. II know the man; he will kill YOU
Come, for the Virgins sake. or for my sake,
for cannot go and leave you here
Come, then" said he; and they ran to-
gether to the cover of the woods.
As they gained the edge of the brushwood,
Alleyne looking back, saw his brother come
sun cleaning upon his hair and his beard.
He held something which flashed in his
right hand, and he stopped at the threshold
TO unloose the black hound.
This way!" the woman whispered, in a
low, eager voice. Through the bushes to
that forked ash. Do not heed me; 1 can
run as fast as you. trow. Now into the
stream-right in, over ankles, to throw the
cur, like its MASTER
AS she spoke, she sprung herself into the
shallow stream, and ran swiftly UP the CEN
ter of 1t, with the brown water bubblng
over her feet and her hand outstretched to
ward the clinging branches Of bramble or
sapling Alleyne followed close at her heels,
with his mind in a whrl at this black well
come and sudden shifting of all his plans
and hopes. Yet grave were his thoughts
they would still turn to wonder as he looked
at the twinkling feet of his guide and
saw her 1.-the figure bend this way and
that, dipping under boughs springing
over stones, with a lightness and ease
which made 1t no small task for him to
keep up with her. At last, when he was
almost out of BREATH she suddenly threw
herself down upon messy bank, be-
tween two holly bushes, and looked rue
fully at her own dripping feet and be-
draggled skirt.
Holy Mary" said she, what shall I
do? Mother will keep me to my cham
Der for a month, and make me work at
the tapestry of the nine bold knights
She promised much last week. when
I fell into Wilverley bog, and yet she
knows that I cannot abide needlework"
Alleyne, still standing in the stream
glanced down at the graceful pink-and
white figure, the curve of raven black