s most like
to betide if they left the house, and that rede they took at the last.
So they sat expecting what should befal them.

For a long while none of the aliens came anear them; but at last, when
the battle was at its fiercest, rode up three men leading two unbacked
horses, and they were of the mien and in the gear of the Red Skinners;
and the Carline stood in the door to meet them, and she spake to them
and said: "What will ye warriors? Why are ye not in the battle with
your fellows?" Said one: "Because our errand is here and not there:
neither are those men our fellows. We be the servants of that goodly
merchant who guested here a while ago, and would have bought the
maiden within there in all honour, and ye rewarded his good will with
scorn, and mocks and japes and scurvy dealing. Wherefore he hath set
these reivers on your folk, and hath sent us along with them to look
to you. And two-fold is our errand, to bear away the maiden without a
price, and to slay thee. Hah! dost thou like it?"

Now the Carline remembered the coming of the said merchant, and how he
had cast his love on the Maiden unhonestly and lustfully, and would
have lain by her against her will had it not been for the lore of the
said Carline, who letted him of his evil will and sent him away
shamed.

But now she muttered something under her breath, and looked on those
men, and made signs with her fingers, and then spake aloud: "Slay me
speedily then, whiles ye are about it; for I take no great keep of
life." The men handled their weapons, but nothing came of it, and they
sat in their saddles staring at the Carline as if they were mazed. And
even therewith ran the Maiden forth from the house, and cast her arms
about the Carline, and cried out: "Nay, nay! but ye shall not slay
her! for as my mother hath she been, and none other have I had save
her. But I pray you by your salvation to take this my mother with you,
for I cannot do to be without her; and if I miss her, then shall I be
of little use, miserable and forlorn, to that lord of yours that ye
tell of so goodly."

The old woman kissed her and embraced her, and then turned to those
men and laughed in their faces; and they seemed presently as if
awaking out of slumber, and one said: "Well, this may be; I see not
why we should not slay thee there as well as here; and since the
damsel would have it so, we will have thee along with us, and let the
maiden settle it with our lord whether he will