" 'A man on the ground holds him!' cried one, and I sprang from the saddle to see who it might be, to find that it was you, the pair of you, locked in each other's arms and senseless, if not dead, as well you might be from your wounds.I bade the country-folk cover you up and carry you home, and others to run to Stangate and pray the Prior and the monk Stephen, who is a doctor, come at once to tend you, while we pressed onwards to take vengeance if we could.We reached the quay upon the creek, but there we found nothing save some bloodstains and--this is strange--your sword, Godwin, the hilt set between two stones, and on the point a writing.""What was the writing?" asked Godwin.
"Here it is," answered his uncle, drawing a piece of parchment from his robe."Read it, one of you, since all of you are scholars and my eyes are bad."Rosamund took it and read what was written, hurriedly but in a clerkly hand, and in the French tongue.It ran thus:"The sword of a brave man.Bury it with him if he be dead, and give it back to him if he lives, as I hope.My master would wish me to do this honour to a gallant foe whom in that case he still may meet.
(Signed) Hugh Lozelle, or Another."
"Another, then; not Hugh Lozelle," said Godwin, "since he cannot write, and if he could, would never pen words so knightly.""The words may be knightly, but the writer's deeds were base enough," replied Sir Andrew; "nor, in truth do I understand this scroll.""The interpreter spoke of the short man as his master," suggested Wulf.
"Ay, nephew; but him you met.This writing speaks of a master whom Godwin may meet, and who would wish the writer to pay him a certain honour.""Perhaps he wrote thus to blind us."
"Perchance, perchance.The matter puzzles me.Moreover, of whom these men were I have been able to learn nothing.A boat was seen passing towards Bradwell--indeed, it seems that you saw it, and that night a boat was seen sailing southwards down St.Peter's sands towards a ship that had anchored off Foulness Point.But what that ship was, whence she came, and whither she went, none know, though the tidings of this fray have made some stir.""Well," said Wulf, "at the least we have seen the last of her crew of women-thieves.Had they meant more mischief, they would have shown themselves again ere now"Sir Andrew looked grave as he answered.
"So I trust, but all the tale is very strange.How came they to know that you and Rosamund were riding that day to St.
Peter's-on-the-Wall, and so were able to waylay you? Surely some spy must have warned them, since that they were no common pirates is evident, for they spoke of Lozelle, and bade you two begone unharmed, as it was Rosamund whom they needed.Also, there is the matter of the sword that fell from the hand of Godwin when he was hurt, which was returned in so strange a fashion.I have known many such deeds of chivalry done in the East by Paynim men--""Well, Rosamund is half an Eastern," broke in Wulf carelessly;"and perhaps that had something to do with it all."Sir Andrew started, and the colour rose to his pale face.Then in a tone in which he showed he wished to speak no more of this matter, he said:
