things under that roof, which you
and I might have for the asking, did we but ask with our swords in our
grip. You are my witness that your father did give and not lend me this
horse.'

'Why say you that, then?'

'Lest he claim a half of whatever booty I may chance to gain. What saith
my learned Fleming under the heading "an qui militi equum praebuit,
praedae ab eo captae particeps esse debeat?" which signifieth "whether
he who lendeth a horse hath a claim on the plunder of him who borroweth
it." In this discourse he cites a case wherein a Spanish commander
having lent a steed to one of his captains, and the said captain having
captured the general of the enemy, the commander did sue him for a
half share of the twenty thousand crowns which formed the ransom of the
prisoner. A like case is noted by the famous Petrinus Bellus in his book
"De Re Militari," much read by leaders of repute.' (Note C. Appendix.)

'I can promise you,' I answered, 'that no such claim shall ever be made
by my father upon you. See yonder, over the brow of the hill, how the
sun shines upon the high cathedral tower, which points upwards with its
great stone finger to the road that every man must travel.'

'There is good store of silver and plate in these same churches,' quoth
my companion. 'I remember that at Leipsic, when I was serving my first
campaign, I got a candlestick, which I was forced to sell to a Jew
broker for a fourth of its value; yet even at his price it sufficed to
fill my haversack with broad pieces.'

It chanced that Saxon's mare had gained a stride or two upon mine whilst
he spoke, so that I was able to get a good view of him without turning
my head. I had scarce had light during our ride to see how his harness
sat upon him, but now I was amazed on looking at him to mark the change
which it had wrought in the man. In his civil dress his lankiness and
length of limb gave him an awkward appearance, but on horse-back, with
his lean, gaunt face looking out from his steel cap, his breastplate
and buff jacket filling out his figure, and his high boots of untanned
leather reaching to the centre of his thighs, he looked the veteran
man-at-arms which he purported to be. The ease with which he sat his
horse, the high, bold expression upon his face, and the great length of
his arms, all marked him as one who could give a good account of himself
in a fray. In his words alone I could have placed little trust, but
there was that in his bea