d something, pouch or clout, or what not,
in his haste and hurry. He got off his horse to pick it up, and when
he had laid hand on it found it to be a hands-breadth of fine green
cloth embroidered with flowers. He held it in his hand a while
wondering where he could have seen such like stuff before, that it
should smite a pang into his heart, and suddenly called to mind the
little hall at Bourton Abbas with the oaken benches and the rush-strewn
floor, and this same flower-broidered green cloth dancing about the
naked feet of a fair damsel, as she moved nimbly hither and thither
dighting him his bever. But his thought stayed not there, but carried
him into the days when he was abiding in desire of the love that he won
at last, and lost so speedily. But as he stood pondering he heard
Clement shouting to him from the garth-gate of that house. So he leapt
on his horse and rode up the slope into the garth and lighted down by
Clement; who fell to chiding him for tarrying, and said: "There is
peril in loitering outside this garth alone; for those Sons of the Rope
often lurk hard by for what they may easily pick up, and they be brisk
and nimble lads." "What ailed thee?" said Ralph. "I stayed to look at
a flower which called Upmeads to my mind."

"Yea lad, yea," quoth Clement, "and art thou so soft as that? But come
thou into the House; it is as I deemed it might be; besides the
House-warden and his wife there is no soul therein. Thou shalt yet
look on Mick Hangman's sons, as thou desirest."

So they went into the House, and men had all that they might need. The
warden was an old hoar man, and his wife well-stricken in years; and
after supper was talk of this and that, and it fell much, as was like
to be, on those strong-thieves, and Clement asked the warden what he
had seen of them of late.

The old carle answered: "Nay, master Clement, much according to wont:
a few beeves driven into our garth; a pack or two brought into the
hall; and whiles one or two of them come in hither with empty hands for
a sleep and a bellyful; and again a captive led in on the road to the
market. Forsooth it is now a good few days ago three of them brought
in a woman as goodly as mine eyes have ever seen; and she sat on the
bench yonder, and seemed to heed little that she was a captive and had
shackles on her feet after the custom of these men, though indeed her
hands were unbound, so that she might eat her meat; and the carle thief
tol