ore to hearken. The thieves shall be speedily judged, and not
questioned with torments, so that they may be the lustier to feel what
the hangman shall work on them to-morrow; then forsooth the show shall
be goodly. But far better had it been if we had had in our hands the
great witch of these dastards, as we looked to have her; but now folk
say that she has not been brought within gates, and it is to be feared
that she hath slipped through our fingers once more."

Roger laughed, and said: "Simple are ye folk of the Burg and know
nought of her shifts. I tell thee it is not unlike that she is in the
Burg even now, and hath in hand to take out of your prison the four
whom ye have caught."

The franklin laughed scornfully in his turn and said: "If we be simple,
thou art a fool merely: are we not stronger and more than the Dry
Tree? How should she not be taken? How should she not be known if she
were walking about these streets? Have we no eyes, fool-carle?" And he
laughed again, for he was wroth.

Ralph hearkened, and a kind of fear seemed griping his heart, so he
asked the franklin: "Tell me, sir, are ye two speaking of a woman who
is Queen of these strong-thieves?" "Yea," said he, "or it might better
be said that she is their goddess, their mawmet, their devil, the very
heart and soul of their wickedness. But one day shall we have her body
and soul, and then shall her body have but an evil day of it till she
dieth in this world."

"Yea, forsooth, if she can die at all," quoth Roger.

The franklin looked sourly on him and said: "Good man, thou knowest
much of her, meseemeth--Whence art thou?" Said Roger speedily: "From
Hampton under Scaur; and her rebel I am, and her dastard, and her
runaway. Therefore I know her forsooth."

"Well," the Franklin said, "thou seemest a true man, and yet I would
counsel thee to put a rein on thy tongue when thou art minded to talk
of the Devil of the Dry Tree, or thou mayst come to harm in the Burg."

He walked away towards the gallows therewith; and Roger said, almost as
if he were talking to himself; "A heavy-footed fool goeth yonder; but
after this talk we were better hidden by the walls of the
Flower-de-Luce." So therewith they went on toward the hostel.

But the market place was wide, and they were yet some minutes getting
to the door, and ere they came there Ralph said, knitting his brows
anxiously: "Is this woman fair or foul to look on?" "That is nought so
easy