is brave Knight
service. Therefore have I ridden from place to place, following; and,
after some delay, I find myself at length at Castle Norelle, only to
hear that he to whom I purposed to hand the letter has ridden south by
another road. Thus is my endeavour to serve him rendered fruitless."

"Nay, Friend," said Mora, much moved by this recital. "Not fruitless.
Give me the letter you have thus rescued and faithfully attempted, to
deliver. My husband returns in five days. I will then hand him the
letter and tell him your tale. Most grateful will he be for your good
service, and moved by your loyal remembrance."

The swarthy fellow drew from his wallet a letter, heavily sealed, and
inscribed at great length. He placed it in Mora's hands.

Her clear eyes dwelt upon his countenance with searching interest. It
was wonderful to her to see before her a man whose life Hugh had saved,
so far away, on an Eastern battle-field.

"In my husband's name, I thank you, Friend," she said. "And now my
people will put before you food and wine. You must have rest and
refreshment before you again set forth."

"I thank you, no," replied the stranger. "I must ride on, without
delay. I bid you farewell, Lady; and I do but wish the service, which
a strange chance has enabled me to render to the Knight, had been of
greater importance and had held more of risk or danger."

He bowed low, and departed. A few moments later he was riding out at
the gates, and making for the northward road.

Had Brother Philip chanced to be at hand, he could not have failed to
note that the swarthy stranger was mounted upon the fastest nag in the
Bishop's stable.

For a life of lawlessness, rapine, and robbery, does not debar a man
from keeping an oath sworn, out of honest gratitude, in cleaner, better
days.

Left alone, Mora passed on to the terrace and, in the clearer light,
examined this soiled and much inscribed missive.

To her amazement she recognised the well-known script of Symon, Bishop
of Worcester. How many a letter had reached her hands addressed in
these neat characters.

Yet Hugh had left her, and gone upon this ride of many days to
Worcester in order to see the Bishop, because he had received a letter
telling him, without sufficient detail, a matter of importance.
Probably the letter she now held in her hands should have reached him
first. Doubtless had he received it, he need not have gone.

Pondering this matter, and alm