"Yet he seems very eager," quoth Master Justice Baine. "I doubt I shall
hear more of the matter." He turned and looked into the forge where the
bellows now stood idle, the smith himself grimy and aproned in leather
in the doorway, listening to the rustics account of the happening.
Master Baine it seems had a taste for analogies. "Faith," he said, "the
place was excellently well chosen. They have forged here to-day a sword
which it will need blood to temper."




CHAPTER IV

THE INTERVENER


The parson had notions of riding after Sir Oliver, and begged Master
Baine to join him. But the Justice looked down his long nose and opined
that no good purpose was to be served; that Tressilians were ever wild
and bloody men; and that an angry Tressilian was a thing to be avoided.
Sir Andrew, who was far from valorous, thought there might be wisdom in
the Justice's words, and remembered that he had troubles enough of his
own with a froward wife without taking up the burdens of others. Master
Godolphin and Sir Oliver between them, quoth the justice, had got up
this storm of theirs. A God's name let them settle it, and if in the
settling they should cut each other's throats haply the countryside
would be well rid of a brace of turbulent fellows. The pedlar deemed
them a couple of madmen, whose ways were beyond the understanding of a
sober citizen. The others--the fishermen and the rustics--had not the
means to follow even had they had the will.