Part 6 (1/2)

After Sir Jaarded them for a while in silence ”Ho, Walter Blunt,” said he at last, ”what is to do?”

”Why, this,” said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip ”That fellow, Myles Falworth, hath been breedingus, and because he was thus mutinous I would punish him therefor”

”In that thou liest!” burst out Myles ”Never have I been mutinous in my life”

”Be silent, sir,” said Sir James, sternly ”I will hear thee anon”

”Nay,” said Myles, with his lips twitching and writhing, ”I will not be silent I aainst me, but I will not be silent, and brook to have lies spoken of hast at Myles's boldness Never had he heard any one so speak to Sir James before He did not dare for the moment even to look up Second after second of dead stillness passed, while Sir Ja calmness that chilled him in spite of the heat of his passion

”Sir,” said the old ht of rules and laws of such a place as this Nevertheless, it is time for thee to learn them So I will tell thee now that if thou openest thy lips to say only one single word , I will send thee to the black vault of the donjon to cool thy hot spirits on bread and water for a week” There was soht's tone that quelled Myles utterly and entirely A little space of silence followed ”Now, then, Blunt,”

said Sir Ja to the bachelor, ”tell me all the ins and outs of this business without any h naturally prejudiced in his own favor, was fairly true Then Myles told his side of the case, the old knight listening attentively

”Why, ho, Blunt,” said Sir Jao to the river to bathe Wherefore shouldst thou forbid one of them?”

”I did it but to punish this fellow for his ht we at their head were to have oversight concerning theree Ere ye take it upon ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye first to me Dost thou understand?”

”Aye,” answered Blunt, sullenly

”So be it, and now get thee gone,” said the knight; ”and let s An ye fight your battles, let there not be in I hear s--” He did utter his threat, but stopped short, and fixed his one eye sternly upon the head squire ”Now shake hands, and be ye friends,” said he, abruptly

Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him

”Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck rio, Blunt Thou, Falworth, stay; I would bespeak thee further”

”Tell me,” said he, when the elder lad had left them, ”ilt thou not serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is the custom here

Why wilt thou not obey it?”

”Because,” said Myles, ”I cannot stomach it, and they shall not make me serve them An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but not at their coht, ”I do not bid thee do them service That lieth with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit But how canst thou hope to fight single-handed against the cohtier than thou?”

”I know not,” said Myles; ”but were they an hundred, instead of thirteen, they should not make ht, se, but folly When one setteth about righting a wrong, one driveth not full head against it, for in so doing one getteth naught but hard knocks Nay, go deftly about it, and then, when the ti Henry, when he was the Earl of Derby, what could he have gained had he stood so against the old King Richard, brooking the King face to face? I tell thee he would have been knocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day Noere I thee, and had to fight a fight against odds, I would first get me friends behind me, and then--” He stopped short, but Myles understood hiulp, ”I do thank thee for thy friendshi+p, and ask thy pardon for doing as I did anon”

”I grant thee pardon,” said the knight, ”but tell thee plainly, an thou dost face ain, I will truly send thee to the black cell for a week Now get thee away”

All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth, save only the faithful Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay with his friend; and perhaps that little act of self-denial ht have done

”It was right kind of thee, Francis,” said he, laying his hand affectionately on his friend's shoulder ”I know not why thou lovest , this matter,” answered his friend; ”because hter and the bravest one of all of us squires”