t no
party of the enemy slipped unseen between them. Suddenly Roger plucked
Oswald's sleeve, and said in a whisper:

"Unless my eyes deceive me, master, I saw two dark figures flit from
that clump of bushes, some forty yards away, to those next to them.
There they go again!"

"I see them, Roger. It may be that they are spies, who have crept up
close. Let us give chase to them."

"Shall I shout, master?"

"No, no. This is not an attack. Stoop as low as you can or, if they
look back, they will see that great figure of yours, and be off like
hares. Run as softly as you can."

Stooping low, they set off at a run and, being certain that the figures
were making straight for the forest, they did not pause to get another
glimpse of them, but ran straight on. They had gone some seventy or
eighty yards, when they heard a stifled exclamation; and then, without
further attempt at concealment, two figures rose from a bush twenty
yards ahead, and fled for the forest. There was no more occasion for
stooping and, at the top of their speed, Oswald and Roger pursued the
fugitives.

These ran fast, but Oswald, who had outpaced his heavier companion,
came up to them when within fifty yards of the edge of the forest; and,
passing them, drew his sword and faced them.

"Surrender," he said, "or I will cut you down."

Instead of the fierce spring that he had anticipated, the two figures
stopped suddenly, exchanged a word in Welsh, and then dropped their
cloaks. To Oswald's astonishment, two young women stood before him.
They evidently belonged to the upper class. Both were richly dressed.
They wore heavy gold chains round their necks, and bracelets of the
same metal; set, as Oswald noticed by the reflection of the moon, with
jewels. They had also brooches, and their girdles were held in with
massive gold clasps.

By this time Roger had come up, and stood staring with astonishment.

"Take these, good fellows," the girl said in English, as she began to
unfasten her necklace. "Take these, and let us go. They will make you
rich."

"I am an esquire of Sir Henry Percy," Oswald said, "and I rob not
women. By your appearance, I should judge you to be daughters of
Glendower."

"It would be useless to deny it," one of the girls said, proudly.

"Why do you come spying here?" Oswald said. "Surely, among your
father's warriors, others better suited for such work might have been
found."

"We were not spying," the girl replied. "We have l