Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for DECEMBER "a, 1905
SUNDAY MAGAZIl
s I r n I c. Z l.
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puzzle you to get him out of them. -
By Saint PAUL. were my errand not
pressing one | would be tempted to turn
aside and seek him. Where lives he,
them"
There is a great morass beyond
Puttenham, and across it there are caves
in which he and his people Turk.
His people? He hath a band?"
There are several with him.
at sounds a most honorable enter
prise" said Nigel. when the King
hath come and gone we will spare day
for the outlaws of Puttenham. | fear
there is little chance for us to see them
on this journey"
They prey upon the pilgrims who pass
along the Winchester Road, and they
are we'll loved by the folk in these parts,
for they rob none of them and have an
open hand for all who will help them"
1T is right easy to have an open hand
with the money that you have stolen,"
said Nigel; 8" but l fear that they will not
try to rob two men with swords at their
girdles like you and me, SO we shall have
no profit from them"
They had passed over the wild moors
and had come down now into the main
road by which the pilgrims from the west
of England made their way to the nation
al shrine at Canterbury. 1t passed from
Winchester, and up the beautiful valley
of the Itchen until it reached Farnham,
where it forked into two branches, one
of which ran along the Hogs Back, while
the second wound to the south and came
out at Saint Catharine's Hill where
stands the Pilgrim shrine, gray old ruin
now, but once SO august, SO crowded and
so affluent. 1t was this second branch
upon which Nigel and Awkward found
themselves as they rode to Guildford.
No one, as it CHANGED, was going the
same way as themselves, but they met
one large drove of pilgrims returning
from their journey with pictures of Saint
Thomas and snails' shells or little 1eaden
ampulla in their hats and bundles of
purchases over their shoulders. They
were a grimy, ragged, travel-stained
crew. the men walking, the women borne
on asses. Man and beast they limped
along as if it would be glad day when
they saw their homes once more. These
and a few beggars or minstre1s who
SIOuSICd aiming IllC IlCdGllCl Oll SlIHSl
side of the track in the hope of receiving
an occasional farthing from the passer-by,
were the only folk they met until they
had reached the village of Puttenham.
Already there was hot sun and just
breeze enough to send the dust flying
down the road, SO they were glad to clear
their threats with a glass of beer at the
ale-stake in the village, where the fair
alewife gave Nigel cold farewell be-
cause he had no attentions for her, and
Awkward a box on the ear because he had
too many.
On the farther side of Puttenham the
road runs through thick woods of oak
and beech, with tangled underground
of fern and brarable. Here they met
patrol of -sergeants-at- arms, tall fellows,
well-mounted, clad in studded-leather
caps and tunics, with lances and swords.
They walked their horses slowly on the
shady side of the road, and stopped as
the travellers came up, to ask if they had
been molested on the way.
\ Have a care" they added, ''for the
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