may perchance decipher."

The stranger drew from his finger a massy ring. A little ferret-eyed
monk, a transcriber of saints' legends and Saxon chronicles, was
immediately called. He pronounced the writing heathenish, and of the
Runic form. A sort of free translation may be given as follows:--

"The Norman shall tread on the Saxon's heel,
And the stranger shall rule o'er England's weal;
Through castle and hall, by night or by day
The stranger shall thrive for ever and aye;
But in Rached, above the rest,
The stranger shall thrive best."

Gamel was troubled and perplexed. The words were prophetic, evidently
pointing to his own and his country's fate, as well as to the destiny of
the stranger. He knit his brows, and his very beard coiled upwards with
the conflict. He appeared loth to allow of a supernatural agency in the
affair, and yet the testimony and its witness were not to be gainsayed.

"I had not believed the tale, stranger, if this token had not confirmed
thy speech:--verily thou hast a better witness than a fool's tongue to
thy story. That ill-omened losel may depart. See thou fall not hastily
into the like offence, else shalt thou smart from Childermas to
All-hallowtide. Hence! to thy place." Barnulf awaited not further
dismissal, glad to escape the scrutiny of Nicholas with a whole skin.

A loud shriek was heard from the court-yard.

"My boy!--Oh, my boy!" cried the almost frantic mother, as she rushed