Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-04
CHAPTER Iv-Continued.

mile so out upon the moor the road
! takes a very sudden dip into a hollow, with
| a peat-colored stream running swiftly down
| the center of 1t. To the right of this stood,
and stands TO this day, an ancient barrow,
| or burying mound covered deeply In
| bristle of heather and bracken. Alleyne
| was plodding down the slope upon one side.
when he saw an old dame coming toward
! him upon the other, limping with WEAKNESS
| and leaning heavily upon a stick. When
| she reached the edge of the stream she
| stood helpless. looking to right and to left
for some ford. Where. the path ran down
| great stone had been fixed in the center
| of the brook. but IT was too far from the
| bank for her aged and uncertain feet.
| Twice she thrust forward at 1t. and twice
| she drew back. until at last giving up in
despair she sat herself down by the brink
| and wrung her hands YEARLY. There she
| still sat when Alleyne reached the crossing.
Come mother" quoth she, sit is not so
very perilous a passage"
| "Alasi good youth" she answered. Il
/ have a humor in the eyes, and though l
can see that there is stone there. can by
| no means be sure IS to where 1t Hes
| That is easily amended" said he, cheer
/ lily; and picking her lightly up for she
was much worn with time he passed across
with her. He could not but observe. how
| ever, that as he placed her down her knees
seemed to fail her, and she could scarcely
| prop herself up with her STAFF.
You are weak, mother" said he. Hast
| journeyed far, | wot
! From Wiltshire, friend" said She In a
| quaversns voice; three days have l been
| on the road. 1 go to my son. who is one OF
| the kings regarders at Brockenhurst. He
| has ever said that he would care for me in
| mine old age
| And rightly. too, mother, since you
J cared for him in his youth. But when
| have you broken fast?"
| "At Lyndenhurst; hut, alas! my money is
at an end. and l could but get dish OF
| bran-porridge from the nunnery. Yet l
| trust that l may be able to reach Brock
enhurst tonight, where / may have ali that
heart can desire; fer, oh. sir, but my son is
| fine man, with a kindly heart of h own,
and it is as good as food to me to think
| that he should have doublet of Lincoln
| green to his back and be the kings own
| paid man"
at is long read yet to Brockenhurst. :"
said Alleyne; but here is such bread and
! cheese as l have left. and here, too. is a
| penny which may help you to supper. May
| God be with your
May God be with you young man." she
cried. May He make your heart as glad
| as you have made miner
She turned away still mumbl!ng bless
ings, and Alleyne saw her short figure and
| her long shadow stumbling slowly up the
| slope.
| He was moving away himself, when his
| eyes lighted upon a strange sight and one
| winch sent a tlnSlny through MS SKIN. Out
| of the tangled scrub on the old overgrown
barrow two human faces were looking out
| at him; the sinking sun glimmered full
| upon them, showing up every line and fea-
| ture. The one was odsh man with a
| thin beard, a crooked nose, and a broad red
smudge from a birth-mark over his temple
the other was negro, a thing rarely met
in England at that day, and rarer still In
the quiet southland parts. Alleyne had
read of such folk, but had never seen one
before and could scarce take his eyes from
the fellows broad. pouting lip and shining
teeth. Even as he gaZed, however, the two
came writing out from among the heather
and came down toward him with such a
guilty, sinking carriage that the clerk felt
that there was no good in them, and has
tened onward upon his way.
He had not gained the crown of the slope
when he heard a sudden scuffe behind him
and feeble voice bleating for help. Look
ing round, there was the old dame down
upon the roadway, with her red whimple
flying on the breeze, while the two rogues,
black and white, stopped over her, Wrestling
away from her the penny and such other
poor trifies as We're worth the taking. At
the sight of her thin limbs struggling in
weak resistance, such a glow Of fierce an
ger passed over Aileyne as set his head in
whirl. Dropping his scrip, he bounded
over the stream once more and made for
the two villains, with his staff whirled over
mis- shoulder and his gray eyes blazing with
fury.
The robbers, however were not disposed
to leave their victim until they had worked
their wicked will upon her. The black man
with the womans crimson scarf tied round
his swarthy head, stood forward in the
center of the path, with long dull-colored
knife In his hand, while the other waving
| a ragged cudgel, cursed at Alleyne and
dared him to come on. His blood was fair
ly afame, however, and he needed no such
challenge. Dashing at the black man. he
smote at him with such good will that the
other let his knife t-nkle into the road
way, and hoped, bowling, to safer dis
lance. The second rogue, however
made of sterner stuff, rushed in upon the
clerk, and clipped him around the waist
with grip like bear, shouting the while
to his comrade to come round and stab
him in the back. At this the negro took
heart of grace, and picking up his dagger
again. he came stealing with prowling step
and muroerous eye, while the two swayed
backward and forward, staggering this way
and that. In the very midst of the scutfie,
however while Aileyne braced himself to
feel the cold blade between his shoulders,
there came a sudden scurry of hoofs. and
the black man yelled with terror and ran
for his life through the heather. The man
with the birth-mark, too, struggled to
break away, and Alleyne heard his teeth
chatter and felt his limbs grow limp to his
hand At this sign of coming aid the clerk
held on the tighter, and at last was able
to PIN his man down. and glanced behind
him to see where all the noise was coming
from.
Down the slanting road there was riding
a big, burly man. clad in a tunic of pur
pie velvet and driving a great black horse
as hard as 1t could gallop He leaned well
over its neck as he rode, and made heav-
ing with his shoulders at every bound,
as though he were lifting the steed instead
of it carrying him. In the rapid glance
Alleyne that he had white doeskin
gloves, a curling white feather In his fiat
velvet cap, and a broad gold-embroidered
baldrIc across his bosom. Behind him rode
six others, two and two, clad in sober
brown jenkins, with the long yellow slaves
of their bows thrusting out from behind
their right shoulders Down the hill they
Numbered. over the brook, and up to the
scene of the contest.
Here is onei' said the leader, springing
down from his reeking horse and selling
the white rogue by the edge of his jerkin.
This is one of them. L know him by that
devils touch upon his brow. Where are
your cords, Peterkin? So!-bind him hand
and foot His last hour has come. And
you, young man, who may you be7
II am clerk, sir, travelling from Beau
lieu"
"A clerky' cried the other. cart from
Oxenford or from Cambridge? Hast thou
letter from the chancellor of thy college
giving thee permit to beg? Let me see
thy letter.
He had a stern. square face, with bushy