Knight, who received them with all honour and kindness and heard
what they had to say, and prayed them to abide with him a while, since
they had ridden far from the south and the east; but they would not
tarry but one night, for they had further to go. When they were
departed Sir Mark made no secret of their message, which was that the
hosting of the Barons' League would be in such place, east of the
water and far to the south, a month before Marymass of next year; and
they prayed him to be leal and true to the League, and gather to him
what force he might, as well armed and formed in all ways as could be
done. But he answered that he was all ready thereto, and should do his
devoir to the uttermost of his power.

When the Maiden heard this she was troubled, and asked him what he
deemed of the chances of the war, and he said: "Lady, this is what we
were talking of with the Lord of Warding Knowe that other day; and I
must tell thee, though I shall go to the hosting merrily and expend me
there to the utmost, yet I deem that they be the luckiest who may keep
them out of this strife, as I may not." "Yet," said she, "be they not
mighty men, these Barons? and all men say that their League is well
knit together; so that at the worst, they overwhelm not the Knight of
Longshaw, they may hold them well against him."

"Lady," said he, "by my deeming, if we crush not this valiant man
utterly he will scatter us; he is not such a man as, if he have any
force left, may be held aloof, as a man will hold a fierce sheep-dog
with a staff till the shepherd come. To end it, since I am saying this
to none but thee, I see myself so bestead that I shall deem me a lucky
man if I bring back a whole skin from this war."

"It will be evil days for all of us," said she, "if thou come not back
hale and sound."

"It gladdens my heart that thou shouldst say so," quoth he; "and yet I
would have thee look to it, that if we overthrow this wise man and
good knight, and I say again that must be utterly or not at all, there
will be more moan made over him than over a dozen such as I; and that
is no otherwise than it should be." Said she: "I would thou wert with
him and not against him." The Knight said kindly: "Dear maiden, thou
must not say such words to me, for thou knowest that my part is chosen
by my own will."

She said nought, but nodded and looked at him as one who understood
and thought well of him; and he began again: "So it is that yonder
kn