It was then, 'Good Robert Sadler,' and 'I will
reward thee well.' Naught didst thou say of my head answering my
failure to obey thy will." Then he rode on as he had been commanded.
He now saw that he had betrayed her ladyship and her son for naught,
and his dejection thereat was plainly visible. But presently he sat
upright in triumph as he remembered his plan, which he had for the
moment forgotten,--to betray Hugo into their hands and keep back
Josceline for himself to deliver to the king. How he was to accomplish
this difficult thing he did not know, but, in his ignorance, he
imagined it might easily be done.
Sir Thomas and his aid were watching him. "The knave meaneth to play us
false," observed the aid. "See how he sitteth and rideth in triumph."
"His head answereth for it if he doth," returned Sir Thomas, fiercely.
And now they had all arrived at the edge of the wood and the sun was
down. "Set forward across the open, sirrah," commanded Sir Thomas, "and
see that thou fail not in thine office."
The traitor ground his teeth in rage, but outwardly he was calm as,
putting his horse to the trot, he advanced toward the great gate and
wound his horn.
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