n my fair dove, that you
will vouchsafe to me one of those doeskin gloves, that I may wear it as
the badge of her whose servant I shall ever be."

"Alack and alas for the fairest and sweetest!" she cried. "Fair and
sweet I would fain be for your dear sake, my lord, but old I am and
ugly, and the knights would laugh should you lay lance in rest in such a
cause."

"Edricson," quoth Sir Nigel, "you have young eyes, and mine are somewhat
bedimmed. Should you chance to see a knight laugh, or smile, or even,
look you, arch his brows, or purse his mouth, or in any way show
surprise that I should uphold the Lady Mary, you will take particular
note of his name, his coat-armor, and his lodging. Your glove, my life's
desire!"

The Lady Mary Loring slipped her hand from her yellow leather gauntlet,
and he, lifting it with dainty reverence, bound it to the front of his
velvet cap.

"It is with mine other guardian angels," quoth he, pointing at the
saints' medals which hung beside it. "And now, my dearest, you have come
far enow. May the Virgin guard and prosper thee! One kiss!" He bent down
from his saddle, and then, striking spurs into his horse's sides, he
galloped at top speed after his men, with his three squires at his
heels. Half a mile further, where the road topped a hill, they looked
back, and the Lady Mary on her white palfrey was still where they had
left her. A moment later they were on the downward slope, and she had
vanished from their view.

CHAPTER XIV. HOW SIR NIGEL SOUGHT FOR A WAYSIDE VENTURE.

For a time Sir Nigel was very moody and downcast, with bent brows and
eyes upon the pommel of his saddle. Edricson and Terlake rode behind him
in little better case, while Ford, a careless and light-hearted youth,
grinned at the melancholy of his companions, and flourished his lord's
heavy spear, making a point to right and a point to left, as though
he were a paladin contending against a host of assailants. Sir Nigel
happened, however, to turn himself in his saddle-Ford instantly became
as stiff and as rigid as though he had been struck with a palsy. The
four rode alone, for the archers had passed a curve in the road, though
Alleyne could still hear the heavy clump, clump of their marching, or
catch a glimpse of the sparkle of steel through the tangle of leafless
branches.

"Ride by my side, friends, I entreat of you," said the knight, reining
in his steed that they might come abreast of him. "For, since it