and his light eyes seemed to read deep. "Are you that man," he asked at
last, and got the reply: "I am Jehan the Hunter."

"Bid my fellows attend to yon scum," he told his squire. "The camp marshal
will have fruit for his gallows. The sweepings of all Europe have drifted
with us to England, and it is our business to make bonfire of them before
they breed a plague.... See to the wounded man, likewise. He may be one of
the stout house-carles who fought with Harold at Stamford, and to meet us
raced like a gale through the length of England. By the Mount of the
Archangel, I would fain win such mettle to our cause."

Presently the hut was empty save for the two soldiers, who faced each other
while the lantern flickered to its end on the rafters.

"The good Odo is dead," said the knight. "An arrow in the left eye has
bereft our Duke of a noble ally and increased the blessedness of the City
of Paradise. You are masterless now. Will you ride with me on my service,
you Jehan the Hunter? It would appear that we are alike in our ways of
thinking. They call me the Dove from the shield I bear, and a dove I seek
to be in the winning of England. The hawk's task is over when the battle is
won, and he who has but the sword for weapon is no hawk, but carrion-crow.
We have to set our Duke on the throne, but that is but the first step.
There are more battles before us, and when they are ended begins the slow
task of the conquest of English hearts. How say you, Jehan? Will you ride
north with me on this errand, and out of the lands which are granted me to
govern have a corner on which to practise your creed?"

So it befell that Jehan the Hunter, sometimes called Jehan the Outborn,
joined the company of Ivo of Dives, and followed him when Duke William
swept northward laughing his gross jolly laughter and swearing terribly by