Page 85 (1/1)

"Ha, Cuthbert," quoth he, turning to one who rode at his elbow--a slender youth who stared with evil eyes and sucked upon his finger, "Aha, by the fiend, 'tis a sweet armful, Sir Squire?"

"Aye, my lord Pertolepe, 'tis rarely shaped and delicately fleshed!" answered the esquire, and so fell to sucking his finger again

"What, silly wench, will ye defy me still?" cried Sir Pertolepe, jovial of voice, "must ye to the whip in sooth? Ho, Ralph--Otho, strip me this stubborn jade--so!--Ha! verily Cuthbert, hast shrewd eyes, 'tis a dainty rogue Coirl's wide, fierce eyes, "save that fair body o' thine from the lash, now, and speak me where is thy father and brother that I s, for the foul murder of my foresters yest're'en; their end shall be swift, look ye, and as for thyself--shalt find those to comfort thee anon--speak, wench!"

But now ca knees at Sir Pertolepe's stirrup, and, bowed thus before hi his mercy with bitter tears and clasped hands lifted heavenwards

"O good my lord Pertolepe," she wailed, "'twas not ht this thing; innocent are we, my lord--"

"O witch!" quoth he, "who bade thee speak?" So saying he drew mail-clad foot from stirrup and kicked her back into the dust "Ho, whips!" he called, "lay on, and thereafter e hang these vermin to their own roof-trees and fire their hovels for a warning"

But now, even as the struggling , settled chin on fist to watch the lithe play of her writhing limbs, the s behind him swayed and parted to a sudden panther-like leap, and a hty ar; and thereafter Sir Pertolepe, half stunned and staring up froreat blade whose point pricked his naked throat, and, beyond this blade, a rilared down at hi!" panted Beltane

"Ha! Cuthbert!" roared Red Pertolepe, writhing 'neath Beltane's grinding heel, "to me, Cuthbert--to me!"

But, as the esquire wheeled upon Beltane with sword uplifted, out fro, swayed in his saddle and thudded to earth, while his great war-horse, rearing affrighted, plunged a and confusion; while from amid the s arrohizzed and flew, 'neath whose cruel barbs horses snorted, stu, or crashed into the dust; and ever the confusion grew