t her disordered dress as if she wanted to
straighten it.

"That is better," said the thane heartily. "Those thieves have
fled, and all will be well, thanks to our good friends here."

The maiden looked round, and saw that I was a stranger, and at that
the colour came back of a sudden to her cheeks, and she tried to
set her hair hastily out of her eyes. Whereat her father laughed at
her, and then she was herself again.

"I think we had better be going on before it grows dark," I said.
"Do you know the road to Thetford?"

"My man here does. But you will not leave us--at least yet?"

"We are seeking the same road," I answered. "Now our horses are at
the service of the lady and yourself. I suppose we are not far from
the town, if we cannot find it;" and I laughed.

"Matter of ten or twelve miles, lord," said the housecarl.

"Why, then, the sooner we go the better. Lucky that the May
twilight is long."

"We have met you in the nick of time," said the old thane
courteously. "From your dress I take it that you are one of the
Frankish paladins we were on the way to see. But do they always
talk good Wessex at the court of King Carl?"

"No," laughed Werbode. "Sometimes they talk old Saxon--as I do."

The thane bowed, and let that matter rest. Then he looked ruefully
at the two crippled horses, and set his arm round the lady, who had
risen and was leaning on him.

"I thank you for that offer of a horse," he said. "I had twelve
good men with me when we started across this moor, and you see all
who are left. One after another they have been shot by unseen men
as we rode, until these swarmed out on us as you saw."

"Who are they?" I asked, rolling up my cloak to set it pillion-wise
behind my saddle for the lady.

"The flintknappers, I suppose," he said. "But I am a stranger to
these parts, and I have but heard of them as dwelling about these
heaths."

Then I would have the thane mount my horse; and I lifted the maiden
up behind him, and wrapped Werbode's cloak round her, having a
smile and thanks for the service. And when they were ready I
whistled for Erling, and he came back to us at a canter, looking
behind him now and then. But there was no sign of any follower.

"Ten miles from the town," I said to him, "and more heath to cross.
We must hurry. But we cannot leave those horses to suffer."

"Our horses; and I have tended them, lord," said the rough
housecarl, with a bit of a shake in his voice. "Leave that to