his scrip to his hand, that he might take out the money. But while his
hand was yet in the bag, out comes the master-armourer, a tall and very
stark carle, and said in courteous wise: "Sir Knight, thou art a
stranger to me and I know thee not; so I must needs ask for a sight of
thy license to buy weapons, under the seal of the Burg."

"Hear a wonder," said Ralph, "that a free man for his money shall not
buy wares set out to be bought, unless he have the Burg-Reeve's hand
and seal for it! Nay, take thy florins, master, and give me the axe
and let the jest end there." "I jest not, young rider," quoth the
armourer. "When we know thee for a liegeman of the Burg, thou shalt
buy what thou wilt without question; but otherwise I have told thee the
law, and how may I, the master of the craft, break the law? Be not
wrath, fair sir, I will set aside thine axe for thee, till thou bring
me the license, or bid me come see it, and thou shalt get the said
license at the Town Hall straight-way, when they may certify thee no
foeman of the Burg."

Ralph saw that it availed nothing to bicker with the smith, and so went
his way somewhat crestfallen, and that the more as he saw Roger
grinning a little.

Now they come into the market-place, on one side whereof was the master
church of the town, which was strongly built and with a tall tower to
it, but was not very big, and but little adorned. Over against it they
saw the sign of the Flower de Luce, a goodly house and great.
Thitherward they turned; but in the face of the hostelry amidmost the
place was a thing which Roger pointed at with a grin that spoke as well
as words; and this was a high gallows-tree furnished with four forks or
arms, each carved and wrought in the fashion of the very bough of a
tree, from which dangled four nooses, and above them all was a board
whereon was written in big letters THE DRY TREE. And at the foot of
this gallows were divers folk laughing and talking.

So Ralph understood at once that those four men whom he had seen led
away bound yesterday should be hanged thereon; so he stayed a franklin
who was passing by, and said to him, "Sir, I am a stranger in the town,
and I would know if justice shall be done on the four woodmen to-day."
"Nay," said the man, "but to-morrow; they are even now before the
judges."

Then said Roger in a surly voice, "Why art thou not there to look on?"
"Because," quoth the man, "there is little to see there, and not much
m