that I have been unable to find her father!"

"As well for you, fair sir," said Aylward, "for I am of opinion that her
father was the Devil. This woman is, as I believe, the wife of the 'Wild
Man of Puttenham,' and this is the 'Wild Man' himself who set upon me
and tried to brain me with his club."

The outlaw, who had opened his eyes, looked with a scowl from his captor
to the new-comer. "You are in luck, archer," said he, "for I have come
to grips with many a man, but I cannot call to mind any who have had the
better of me."

"You have indeed the grip of a bear," said Aylward; "but it was a coward
deed that your wife should hold me while you dashed out my brains with
a stick. It is also a most villainous thing to lay a snare for wayfarers
by asking for their pity and assistance, so that it was our own soft
hearts which brought us into such danger. The next who hath real need of
our help may suffer for your sins."

"When the hand of the whole world is against you," said the outlaw in a
surly voice, "you must fight as best you can."

"You well deserve to be hanged, if only because you have brought this
woman, who is fair and gentle-spoken, to such a life," said Nigel. "Let
us tie him by the wrist to my stirrup leather, Aylward, and we will lead
him into Guildford."

The archer drew a spare bowstring from his case and had bound the
prisoner as directed, when Nigel gave a sudden start and cry of alarm.

"Holy Mary!" he cried. "Where is the saddle-bag?"

It had been cut away by a sharp knife. Only the two ends of strap
remained. Aylward and Nigel stared at each other in blank dismay. Then
the young Squire shook his clenched hands and pulled at his yellow curls
in his despair.

"The Lady Ermyntrude's bracelet! My grandfather's cup!" he cried. "I
would have died ere I lost them! What can I say to her? I dare not
return until I have found them. Oh, Aylward, Aylward! how came you to
let them be taken?"

The honest archer had pushed back his steel cap and was scratching his
tangled head. "Nay, I know nothing of it. You never said that there was
aught of price in the bag, else had I kept a better eye upon it. Certes!
it was not this fellow who took it, since I have never had my hands from
him. It can only be the woman who fled with it while we fought."

Nigel stamped about the road in his perplexity. "I would follow her to
the world's end if I knew where I could find her, but to search these
woods for her is to look