Red Eve

s closing in before they found themselves drawing near the gate of Windsor Castle. In the market-place of the little town they pul

them, a trumpet was blown and from round a corner appeared a gay procession of noble-lookin

s or tout for their custom, took off their bonnets and

pointed to a royal-eyed and bearded knight, still in early middle

f the fine Court lords spurred their horses and rode straight at him, thinking to drive him back. But he held his ground, for their insolence made him angry, and, catching the bridle of one of

randfather's mail, unless you would stop there

be glad to hear, and, popinjay, this for yourself; were it not for his pre

the youth at his side, who came forward and said

eets, and tumble the good Sir Ambrose Lace

o ride his horse over me for no offence save that I would d

g man, "but what is your name, and who sends the message? I am the Pri

Reverend Father Sir Andrew Arnold, of Dunwich, and have follow

King and spoke to him, and

where you will be entertained, with your horses. Sir Ambrose," he added, "the King desires that you should forget your choler, since he saw what passed,

gates of Windsor Castle. Nor did they do so unobserved, since many of the Co

wed by Grey Dick, was advancing toward a hall which

your presence befor

as he had much to do with the message. After some argument they were led through various passages to a

oaking voice, "for we are husband and wife, and

or was opened, and P

so, good fellow?" he asked,

lied Dick grimly; "or so thought some

ince both my father and I love archers, let him pass with his bow

like the chancel of a church. Only at the head of it, where the altar should have been, was a kind of dais. On this dais were set some hig

Philippa, and talking to her stood the tall King, clad in a velvet robe lined with fur. Behind, seated at a l

to the foot of the dais

ince. "Oh, I remember, the man who overth

red fellow is his servant, who will not part with his

same," broke in the King. "Say

held all else from me, gave me this gift. At least, if I be not made drunk overnight, I'll

! Have you so

ne; but as I know I shall w

match. But, sirrah, if you prove yourself to be a boaster you shall be whipped round the walls, for I

ket which was addressed to "His Grace King Edward of England,

ked of Hugh when he had spe

iting be that of Sir Andrew A

ve, Hugh de Cressi. Well

, and read

r Gr

certain services rendered to your grandsire, your sire, and to yourself, I still dwell on as a priest ordained. Sire, the bearer of this, Hug

I think the account is still open-against myself. Well, it sh

ring of Blythburgh, a cousin of his House, a very beauteous maiden, common

ippa suddenly b

sir?" she asked in her soft voi

blushing; "because she alway

en she

her eyes and hair ar

s message of the colour of the eyes of his mistress, which, witho

, who accompanies him, commonly known as Grey Dick, slew three men with as many arrows, two of them being Normans whose names are unknown to us, and the third a grieve to

g, "but here is shooting! Wer

uld have had the fourth. I aimed low, Sire, fearing to miss h

. Well, let us have done with the le

Cressi and Richard the Archer for these slayings, believin

o be seen," mut

ere in Suffolk, Count de Noyon in Norman

"and so do you. A handsome knight and a pleasan

s to make her his wife, though she hates him, and by the charter of D

ld story-brave men done to death for the sake of a

lest he should live to sting you when you walk abroad. If it please you to give your royal warrant to the bearer of this letter, and to address the same to such of your subjects in Dunwich as you may think good, I doubt not but that men can be fou

ew Ar

rom his seat. "To lay hands upon the throne

aid Hugh as he unfolded the paper. "Is it your pleasure

g. "Philippa, come help me

tanding under a lantern, spelled out Sir Edmund Ac

ll holding it in his hand, stood for a

y cities are to be sacked and my people slain, and this French dog, Edmund Acour, who has sworn fealty to me, is to be rewarded with wide English lands and high English titles. Well, by God's blood I swear that, dead or living, he shall b

the Temple Church in D

an get the girl; and old Sir Andrew will guard her well with the power of the Church, and with his own right arm if need be, for he's still more knight than priest. So there's no hurry. Tell me all

m the fourth arrow. He told how he and Eve had swum the Blyth in flood though the ice cut them, and hid on the moor while Grey Dick led the Claverings astray, and came at last safe to sanctuary. He told how Acour's letter had been won from his messenger by Sir Andrew's loyal guile. He told of the penance th

was long none there grew weary of that sto

have our thanks, and if you go on as you have begun you shall have more ere long, for I need such men about me. You also, strange and death-like man named Grey Dick, shall not lack our favour if it proves that you can shoot but half as well as you have boasted, and, unless you lie, both of you, as it seems that you have done. And now to supper, though in truth this news does not k

s country ways. Indeed, when after supper Sir Ambrose Lacey came to him and asked his pardon for the talk that he had used to him in the Windsor street-he was sure that some word had been sent round that his business had brought him favour with the King and that he must

I could see such

ne of them

nough ere long, and many of us would

archery. These soldiers, noting the strange-faced, ashen-haired fellow who ate with his bow resting on the bench beside him, inquired about him from the other Dunwich men, and soon h

," he answered, and

a mighty weapon such as few could handle and hold straight. Lastly, they began to challenge him to a match upon the morrow, t

them were some famous arche

ds. Now trouble me no longer, who if I must shoot to-morrow would sleep first and dr

s curious stoat-like fashion to the hole wh

gart!"

rts make a noise, but this fellow only spoke when we squeezed him and perhaps what came out of t

ich of them would beat Grey

d wait upon them. They went with this messenger, who led them to a little chamber, where his Grace sa

oyal and beloved subject, Sir Andrew Arnold, your godsire, and because we like the fashion of you, Hugh de Cressi, and hold you brave and honest, it has pleased us to give you a commission under which we direct the Mayor of Dunwich and all true and lawful men of that town and hundred to aid you in the taking or, if need be, in the slaying of our subject, Sir Edmund Acour, Count of Noyon and Seigneur of Cattrina. We command you to bring this man before us alive or dead, that his cause may be judged of our courts and the truth of the matt

ng, "I understand, and I wi

you should return as you came, only showing your powers if any should attempt to arrest you. So let us have done with these heavy matters, and disport us for a while. This servant of yours has made a common boast that he will outshoot any of our picked archers, and now

ay that none may be suffered to hang about or pester me at the but

said the King. "An

t we should be seeking, with Acour and his knaves for targets. Go to the King, master, and sh

leasure match. Moreover, man, all these archers here-yes, and their betters also-would

aring for you and me. Well, they shall not say it. Yet I tell you, master," he added in a burst o

gh, shaking his head doubtfully.

ever, he held that at which they did not laugh, namely, the great black bow, six feet six inches long, which he said had come to him "from the sea," and was fashioned, not of yew, but of some heavy, close-grained wood, grown perhaps in Southern or even in

y knights and ladies; while on the other side stood scores of soldiers and other f

s you never shot before. Teach them

e grumbled. "I told yo

gan to examine his arrows one by one, to all

" or target, of white wood, not more than two feet square. This clout had a red mark, or

t we have about us have been chosen to shoot against you and

swered, "that I may

w, and loosed his three arrows. The first missed the clout, th

ain it was changed, and forth came the great archer of the guard, a tall and clear-eyed man named Jack Green, and whom, it was said, none had ever beaten. He drew, and the arrow went home in the red o

ince clearly the Suffolk man

do no better," said the King, wh

ck look

the arrows fast. Any may know them from mine since they are grey, whereas those I

wondering; and the clout

on the string. Then he drew, it seemed but lightly and carelessly, as though he thought the distance

nlookers, "a luc

sank into the red, a good inch with

an archer; but Jack's last he cannot be

silent!" wheezed Grey Dick, wit

said the King. "We do not s

it sink again, perhaps because he felt some breath of wind stir the still air. A fourth ti

r at least not half so high. It rushed, it smote, and there was silence, for none could see exa

d Jack Green's centre arrow, an

y, "He, He! He, He!" while the young Princ

men as this in England! Jack Gree

upon the grass, "there is naught to choose be

ins swell beneath the pale skin of his for

s, if you will, for here rough knocks

n clad in leather jerkins, and wearing a vizor to protect the face, and shoot at each other with blu

, for the matter of that, any other arrows save

ptain

ave, I will take

n, were placed against him, standing five yards apart, and blunted arrows served out to all. Dick set one of them on the string, an

rasping another as he fell. Next instant, three shafts whistled over where he had stood. But his found its mark on the bo

ond arrow flew, striking full and fair bef

and, as Dick set the third arrow, but

Dick, and sto

houlder within a hairbreadth of his ear. Then came D

he said, and lo! the fe

o one spoke, but Dick dr

arked out in scores; and what is the farthest

y score and one yard is the farthest,

he great bow till the horns looked as though they came quite close together, and loosed. High and far flew that sha

and two yard

gh enough. I have done twenty and one sco

rom out a tree and, as such birds do at the first breath of spring, for the day was mild and sunny, hovered a moment in the air ere it dipped toward a great fir where doubtless it h

up his quiver and emptied it on the ground, the

y paces, and set this mouth upward in

studied all things with his eyes, Dick shot upward, but softly. Making a gentle curve, the

should have been pinned to earth. Well, yon sh

is bow, and slippe

caps. Jack Green, for all jealousy was forgotten at the sight of this wondrous skill, ran to Dick, clasped him in his arms, and, dragg

man! Be

mes before with no fine folk to watch me? I shot to please my master and for the hono

d the Prince, "but, b

se through the throng, and a

aid you would stake last night shall be paid to you by the treasurer of our household. Moreover, here is a gift from Edward of England, the friend of archers, that you may

ith pride and pleasure. "I'll wear it while I live, and

sure that you sail with us. Therefore I name you one of our fletchers, with place about our person in our bodyguard of archers. Jack Green will show yo

ly, "take back your arrow, f

d the King, angrily, for he was not w

s. But, Sire, I have a good master, and do not wish to change him for one who, saving your presence, may prove a worse, since King's favour on Monday has been known to mean King's ha

ent up from all who heard them, in which

's tongue is as sharp as his shafts. I am p

it is no merit of mine, but a gift He gave me at my birth in place of much which He withheld. Moreover, my master there," and he pointed to Hugh, "who has just done you

Clavering knows to-day. Lastly, Sire, you send this master of mine upon a certain business where straight arrows may be wanted as well as sharp swords, and yet

ar to speak the truth as you see it. Moreover, in this matter, you see it well. Go with Hugh de Cressi on the business which I have given him to do, and, when it is finished, should

worth. Moreover, I pray your Grace be not angry with Grey Dick's wor

that we hate, such words as are ever on the lips of one whom we send you forth to bring to his account. Now to your d