"Tete Dieu!" he growled, "were this France, or even Guienne, we
should have a fresh haunch for our none-meat. Law or no law, I
have a mind to loose a bolt at her."
"I would break your stave across my knee first," cried John,
laying his great hand upon the bow. "What! man, I am
forest-born, and I know what comes of it. In our own township of
Hordle two have lost their eyes and one his skin for this very
thing. On my troth, I felt no great love when I first saw you,
but since then I have conceived over much regard for you to wish
to see the verderer's flayer at work upon you."
"It is my trade to risk my skin," growled the archer; but none
the less he thrust his quiver over his hip again and turned his
face for the west.
As they advanced, the path still tended upwards, running from
heath into copses of holly and yew, and so back into heath again.
It was joyful to hear the merry whistle of blackbirds as they
darted from one clump of greenery to the other. Now and again a
peaty amber colored stream rippled across their way, with ferny
over-grown banks, where the blue kingfisher flitted busily from
side to side, or the gray and pensive heron, swollen with trout
and dignity, stood ankle-deep among the sedges.
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