CHAPTER IX.

SQUIRE SIMON COMES BACK TO OAKENHAM. THE EARL MARSHAL TAKEN
TO KING IN OAKENREALM.


Now as to Squire Simon, whether the devil helped him, or his
luck, or were it his own cunning and his, horse's stoutness,
we wot not; but in any case he fell not in with Ralph
Longshanks and Anthony Green, but rode as far and as fast as
his horse would go, and then lay down in the wild-wood; and
on the morrow arose and went his ways, and came in the even
to the Castle of the Uttermost March, and went on thence the
morrow after on a fresh horse to Oakenham. There he made no
delay but went straight to the High House, and had privy
speech of the Earl Marshal; and him he told how he had
smitten Christopher, and, as he deemed, slain him. The Earl
Marshal looked on him grimly and said: "Where is the ring
then?"

"I have it not," said Simon. "How might I light down to
take it, when the seven sons were hard on us?" And therewith
he told him all the tale, and how he had risen to slay
Christopher the even before; and how he had found out after
that the youngling had become guest and fosterling of the
folk of the Tofts; and how warily Christopher had ridden, so
that he, Simon, had had to do his best at the last moment.
"And now, Lord," quoth he, "I see that it will be my luck to