The Greeley tribune., 1906-07-05
walls" cried another what sort Of
talk is this for 4 public inn?'

wallis cried another "what sort OF
talk is this for public inn?'
shall 1t be a litany, my good
clerk" shouted n third; "or would
hymn be good enough to serye:'
The joncleur had put down his harp
In high dudgeon. Am l TO be
preached to by a child?" he cried,
staring across at Alleyne with an in
famed and angry countenance. rs 4
hairless infant TO raise tongue
against me. when ] have sung in every
fair from Tweed TO Trent, and have
twice been named aloud by the High
Court of the Minstrels at Beverly? l
shall sing no more tonight"
NAY. but you will So" said one of
the laborers. Hi, Dame Eliza. bring
a stoup of your best to win. to clear
his throat. Go forward with thy song,
and II our girl-faced clerk does not
love it he can take to the road and go
whence he came"
"Nay, but not too fast" broke in
Horde John. There are words
in this matter 1t may be that my
little comrade has been over-quick in
reproof, he having gone early into the
cloisters and seen little of the rough
ways and words OF the world Yet
there is truth in what he says, for as
you know well. the song was not Of
the cleanest l shall stand by him,
therefore, and he shall neither be put
out on the road. nor shall his ears be
offended indoors"
Indeed. your high and mighty
grace" sneered one Of the yeomen.
"have you in sooth so ordained?"
"By the Virginr' said a second, 'T
think that you may both chance to
find yourselves upon the road before
long"
"And so belabored as to be scarce
able TO crawl along it." cried a third.
NAY. 1 shall go! shall eor' said
A1leyne hurriedly. as Horde John be
gan TO roll up his sleeves, and bare
an arm like leg of mutton. 4 would
not have you brawl about me-
Hush. ladr' he whispered. Il
count them not fiy. They may find
they have more tow on their distaf
than they know how to spin. Stand
thou clear and give me space"
Both the foreSters and the 1aborers
had risen from their bench, and Dame
Eliza and the travelling doctor had
flung themselves between the two
parties with soft words and soothing
gestures, when the door of the Pied
Merlin was flung violently open. and
the attention of the company was
drawn from their own quarrel to the
newcomer who had burst SO uncere-
nioniously upon them.
CHAPTER ".
He was middle-sized man, Of most
massive and robust build, with an
arching chest and extraordinary
breadth of shoulder. His shaven face
was as brown as haZelnut, tanned
and dried by the weather. with harsh
well-marked features, which were not
improved by long white scar which
stretched from the corner of his left
nostril to the angle of the jaw. His
eyes were bright and searching. with
something Of menace and of authority
in their quick glitter. and his mouth
was frm-set and hard, as befitted one
who was wont to set his face against
danger. A straight sword by his side
and painted long-bow jutting over
his shoulder proclaimed his profession,
while his SCARED brigandine of chain
mail and his dinted steel cap showed
that he was no holiday soldier. but one
who was even now fresh from the
wars. A white surcoat, with the Lion
Of st George in red upon the centre.
covered bis hyoad breast. while a
rprig of new-plucked broom AT the
side of his head-gear gave a touch Of