am indebted for our lives?"

"This gentleman," Edgar said, "is Albert, son of Sir Ralph De Courcy. My
name is Edgar Ormskirk. I pray you, speak not of gratitude. We are glad,
indeed, to have been able to render service to you and to your daughter.
We hope some day to become knights, and it is a real pleasure to us to
have been able to draw a sword in earnest for the first time, in so good a
cause. But, indeed, there is little occasion for glorification, seeing
that the fellows were but rough cut-throats, more accustomed, I fancy, to
the use of the dagger than of the sword."

"Do not belittle the action, Master Ormskirk," the other said,
courteously. "It was a brave deed, for, if I may say so, you are but
little more than boys, to pit yourselves against four rascals of this
kind. There are few in your place would have ventured upon it. The
landlord tells me that two dead bodies were found this morning, and they
are those of well-known cut-throats and law-breakers, who would have long
since been brought to justice, had it not been that there was no means of
proving they were responsible for the many murders that have been
committed during the last few months on peaceful travellers and others. A
search has already been made of their haunts, and as it is found that two
others who generally consorted with them are missing, and as much blood
was found in the hovel they occupied, no doubt one of them was severely
wounded."

"His cheek was laid open by my friend," Edgar said. "He could have slain
him had he so chosen, but being as yet unused to strife and gentler
hearted than I am, he contented himself by slashing his face."

"And did the other two fall to your sword, Mr. Ormskirk?"