I thought that he was putting some new thought together in
his mind.

"It is plain enough," he said at last, staying his walk at a side
table. "I saw my sick man pick up that horn the girl dropped, and
he looked into it and laughed and drank from it, saying that it was
a pity to waste good stuff. See, here it is. The curl of it may
have kept a fair draught in it for him."

There were several horns standing in their silver or gilded rests
on the table at his elbow, and he held up that one which had been
brought to me, and then dropped it.

It fell with its mouth upward, rocking on the bend in its midst, so
that it might well have had a gill or two left in it, for it had a
twist as well as the curve in its length, which was somewhat longer
than usual.

"Poison!" he said in a low voice. "That a friend should be thus
treated at my own door, by my own servant! What shall I say to
you?"

"It is hard on you as on any one, Ealdorman," I answered. "But the
girl did not come from Jago. Mara sent her in some way. I am sure
it was she whom I saw at Tenby."

"Ay," he said, "one could not dream that a message seeming to come
from honest Jago was not in truth from him. The trick was sure to
be found out, and that soon, though."

"Not until the deed was done, maybe. This is the first chance that
the Welsh girl has had to hand me aught."

The ealdorman held his peace for a moment, and then he broke out
suddenly:

"By all the relics in Glastonbury, that thrall saved your life! He
is no fool either, for he knew that the horn must be spilt in one
way or the other, and it was worth while for you to run the risk of
a fall rather than that you should drink it. How had he knowledge
of what was to be done?"

"Whoever wrote the warning told him. It was a chance, however, that
we did not come into the house."

"There is some friend watching these traitors," said Herewald. "I
did not know the thrall, but so often men from the hill who have
followed us come here for the ale that they know will be going,
that I thought nothing of a stranger more or less. But why choose
my house for this deed?"

I knew well enough, and it was plain when I minded the ealdorman
that my vow was well known, and told, moreover, by Thorgils in
Mara's hearing. This was a house where I should often be, and when
Mara found out that Jago was a friend of Herewald of Glastonbury
the rest was easy.

"Well, I will send to Jago today, and find out what he knows