The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-30

wards force had to leave Ely. Those who stayed with him swore never to give quarter to Norman, and they threw themselves into the greenwood and lived outlaw. as Robin Hood did after him. They ranged the Bruneswald to the cry: "A Wakel A Wakel" and laid waste with fire and sword all the lands and towns held. by Normans.
 They were a sad thorn in the side of Williams lieutenant, Two Tallebols, who was trying to hold that land for his master. He took counsel at last with Gilbert of Ghent, who had joined the Normans long ago. They fell upon plan
 One day soon afterward a rider found Hereward in the forest and delivered to him letter from Alftruda. Now, in- deed. did Hereward have cause, had he but known 1t, to regret having killed the Fairy Bear long ago. But, instead, he received the letter with a strange pleas ure; for not so long before he had seen Alftruda, and had found her very, very beautiful.
 He was still faithful 10 Torfrida He loved her stlll. But he felt strange thrill when he read Alftruda's letter It warned him that Tallebols and Gilbert of Ghent and many more were about to attack him from all sides.
 The timely warning saved the Wake. After that he dehed the Normans for two years It was merry enough in the greenwood in summer; but in the winter and the wet weather it was doleful. There were coughs and colds and rheu- matism, and Torfrida ached from head to foot, and her eyes were blinded by peat smoke as she sat sewing the rough gar ments for the men, and her face grew thin, and all her beauty wore away through trouble. The men drank more than was good for them, and Hereward often drank more than all.
 She felt that her beauty was gone and that he knew it. She fancied him less loving. At last her fancies were con- firmed by ugly fact. She found letter to Hereward from Aiftruda, and 1t told her that Hereward was dealing secretly with her. and had consented to leave his wife and swear allegiance to William, in return for which he was to get lands and the hand of Alftruda as soon as his marriage to Torfrida could be annulled.
 Like a beast stricken mortally, Torfri- da turned and ran into the wood. A faithful manservant followed her. ITO Crowland To Crowland" said he. That is the only way for poor wretches in world like thisl'
 And he led Torfrida through the forest to Crowland, where she fell at the feet of the Lady Godiva and told her all. The broken mother and the broken wife wept together. Then Torfrida cut off her hair, already streaked with white, put on d nuns dress and became a nun thence forth.
 The last of Hereward's men sat them down in the greenwood and cried when they heard the news. His best knights tore off their armor and weapons, crying: "Oh, Herewardl Hereward! Oh, knight ly honor! There Is naught left save to flee from a world where all men are liarsn'
 kneeled to him and said: Thou art king of all England. I am the last man to say so, and now I am thy man."
 But for all his truculent words, and for all his doughty bearing. he knew that he was not the Hereward he had been When William rested hand on his shoulder and walked with him, to the envy of all the Norman nobles Hereward thought to himself, Gan I De the same man?"
 He was not the same man. He was besotted upon Alftruda and he humbled himself accordingly, against his will.
 They married him to Alftruda, for wil- liam managed to have his marriage to Torfrida annulled despite the furious ob- jections of the English bishops and monks. The Conqueror swore with hor- rible oaths that they were the finest pair ! he had ever seen.
 Then Hereward sat him down at home in Bourne. Lord of Bourne and many manors. with a beautiful wife and all her possessions to boot.
 He tried to persuade himself that he had done the right thing. He tried to persuade himself that he was not shaken. But he could not deceive himself long. His old bad habits began to return to him. Every time he thought of his mother and Torfrida in Crowland min ster he felt hot shame that made him writhe. He could forget only when he was drunk. Drunk he was, accordingly, more and more.
 He told Alftruda once that he loved Torfrida still. Then there was no peace left in the house.
 With his drinking his love of boasting returned. He could do no more great deeds, having not the spirit to do them. He fell back on babbling of those he had | done. That made his Norman neighbors 1 love him even a -lttle less than before.
 It was all very pitable; but who shall judge him? Life is very hard work.
 At last one day his Norman neighbors put him beyond all his troubles. Two Tal- 1 lebols, and Sir Raoul de Dol and Hugh rival fell on him. In that last hour he became the old Hereward once more | The first man to reach him fell dead, cleft through shield. hauberk and body. | Then he ran at the press of knights and i hewed silently with grinding teeth. 1 Twelve good men pershed before they ! could beat the Berseker to his knees. Then four lances went into his back. Hereward raised himself once more and l hurled his shield at a knight, with one | loud, last cry: "Torfrida!
 So perished the last of the old English. | Next Sundays one-page classic will be "The Pilgrims Progress" by John Bun van.