The La Jara chronicle., 1906-07-13
p CoPyrish.ed 1850 ~ HA,pcr 8 SIethe,a

"Prettily said. mon garcon! Touch
ing that same Staying of the Redeemer
it was a bad business. A good padre
in France read to us from a scroll the
| whole truth of the matter The
soldiers came upon Him in the Garden.
In truth, these Apostles of Hi-may have
| been holy men, but they were of no
great account as men-at-arms. There
was one, indeed. Sir Peter, who smote
out like true man; but, unless he is
| belied, he did but clip a varlet's car.
which was no very knlghtly deed.
BY these ten finger bones! had l been
there with Black Simon of Norwich,
and but one score of picked men of the
Company, we had held them in play
Could we do no more. We had at least
filled the false knight, Sir Judas, so
full of English arrows that he would
curse the day that ever he came on
such an errand-"
The young clerk smiled at his
companions earnestness. Had He
wished help he said, He could have
summoned legions Of archangles from
heaven, so what need had He of your
poor bow and arrow? Besides, bethink
you of His own words-that those who
live by the sword shall perish by the
sword"
Now, youngster. let things be plat
and plain between us. l am a man
who shoots straight at his mark.
You saw the things 1 had with me at
yonder hostel: name which you wnl
save the box of rose-colored sugar
which 1 take to the Lady Loring, and
you shall have them If you Will but
come with me to France"
Nay" said Alleyne, Il would gladly
come with ye to France or where else
yc will, Just to list to your talk, and
because ye are the only two friends
that l have in the whole wide world
outside of the closters; but indeed II
may not be, for my duty is toward my
brother, seeing that father and mother
are dead, and he my elder. Besides,
when ye talk Of taking me to France.
ye do not conceive how useless
| should be to you. seeing that neither
| by training nor by nature am fitted
for the wars. and there seems to be
nought but strife in those parts.'
"Bethink you again, mon ami"
quoth Aylward. that you might do
much good yonder, since there are
three hundred men in the Company,
and none who has ever a word OF
grace for them, and yet the Virgin
knows that there was never a set Of
men who We're in more need OF It.
Sickerly the one duty may balance the
other. Your brother hath done with
out you this many a year. and, as l
gathef he hath never walked as far
as Beaulieu to see you during all that
time, SO he cannot be in any great need
of you"
"Besides." said John. "the Socman OF
Minstead is byword through the
forest. from Bramshaw Hill to Holiness
ley Walk. He is a drunken, brawling
perilous churl. as you may find to your
cost"
'The more reason that I should
strive to mend him." quoth Alleyne.
There is no need to urge me. friends.
for my own wishes would draw me to
France, and it would be joy to me
could 1 go with you. But indeed and
indeed it cannot be. so here l take my
leave of you, for yonder square tower
amongst the trees upon the right must
surely be the church of Minstead. and
may reagn 1t by this path through
the woods.
well, God be with thee, lad!" cried
the archer, pressing Alleyne to his
heart Il am quick to love, and quick
to hate, and fore God 1 am loath tc
part. Yet 1t may be as we'll that you
should know whittier we go. We shall
now journey south through the woods
until We come out upon the Christ
church road, and so onward, hoping
tonight to reach the castle OF Sir
William Montacute. Earl of Salisbury,
of which Sir Nigel Loring is constable
There we shall bide, and it is like
enough that for a month or more you
may find us there. ere We are ready
for our voyage back to France
1t was hard indeed for Alleyne to
break away from these two new but
hearty friends, and so strong was the
combat between his conscience and his
inclinations that he dared not look
round, lest his resolution should slip
The path which the young clerk had
now to follow lay through a magnii-
cent forest of the very heaviest timber.
where the giant boles of oak and of
beech formed long aisles in every di-
rection, shooting up their huge
branches TO build the majestic arches
OF Natures own cathedral. 1t was
very still there in the heart OF the
woodlands. The gentle rustic of the
branches and the distant cooling Of
pigeons were the only sounds which
broke in upon the silence. save that
once Alleyne heard afar OFF a merry
call upon a hunting bugle and the
shrill yapping of the hounds He
pushed on the quicker, twirlrg his
staff merrily, and looking out at every
turn of the path for some sign OF the
old Saxon residence. He was suddenly
arrested, however. by the appearance
OF Withholding fellow armed with a
cruz, who sprang out from behind a
tree and barred his passage. He was
a rough. powerful peasant, with cap
and tunic Of untanned sheep.kin
leather hreeches. and galligasidns
round his legs and feet.
"Stand!" he shouted. raising his
heavy cudgel to enforce the order
"Who are you who walk so freely
throurh the wood?" whittier would
you 70, and what is your errand?"
"Why should I answer your ques-
tions. NV frierdo" said Alleyne, stand
ing on his guard.
because vour tongue may save
your nate. What hast in the scrip"
''Nourht OF any price"
How can tell that, elerk7 Let me
sec"
"Not T."
'FNol' 7 could pull YOU ,n1b from
limb like pullet. wouldst lose scrip
and life too7"
IT will part with neither without n
fight"
"a fight. quotha7 A fight betwl~t