Beltane the Smith eBook

Jeffery Farnol
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 669 pages of information about Beltane the Smith.

Beltane the Smith eBook

Jeffery Farnol
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 669 pages of information about Beltane the Smith.

“Is this light lady’s fame so dear to thee, poor, youthful fool?” said he.  “Aye me! doubt not her falsity shall break thy heart some day and teach thee wisdom—­”

A shout among the woods upon their right, a twinkling light that came and went amid the underbrush, and Walkyn appeared, bearing a lighted brand.

“Lord,” he growled, “here has been devil’s work of late, for yonder a cottage lieth a heap of glowing ashes, and upon a tree hard by a dead man doth swing.”

“Learned ye aught else, Walkyn?”

“Nothing, save that a large company passed here yesterday as I judge.  Horse and foot—­going south, see you,” and he held his torch to the trampled road.

“Going south—­aye, Walkyn, to Barham Broom, methinks.  Here is another debt shall yet be paid in full, mayhap,” quoth Beltane grimly.  “Forward!”

The jingling column moved on again, yet had gone but a little way when Sir Fidelis, uttering a cry, swerved his horse suddenly and sprang to earth.

“What now?” questioned Beltane, staring into the murk.

“My lord—­my lord, a woman lieth here, and—­ah, messire—­she is dead!”

“O, a woman?” quoth Beltane, “and dead, say you?  Why then, the world shall know less of evil and treachery, methinks.  Come—­mount, sir knight, mount, I say, and let us on!”

But Sir Fidelis, on his knees beside that silent, dim-seen form, heeded him not at all, and with reverent, folded hands, and soft and tender voice, spake a prayer for the departed soul.  Now hereupon Beltane knew sudden shame and swift remorse, and bowed his head also, and would have prayed—­yet could not; wherefore his black mood deepened and his anger grew more bitter.

“Mount, mount, sir knight!” cried he harshly.  “Better to seek vengeance dire than mumble on thy knees—­mount, I say!”

Forthwith Sir Fidelis arose, nothing speaking, and being in the saddle, reined back and suffered Beltane to ride alone.  But in a while, Beltane perceiving himself thus shunned, found therein a new grievance and fiercely summoned Sir Fidelis beside him.

“Wherefore slink ye behind me?” he demanded.

Then spake Sir Fidelis in voice full low and troubled: 

“My lord Beltane, ’twas said thou wert a noble knight—­very strong and very gentle—­”

“Ha! dost think such report a lie, mayhap?”

“Alas!” sighed the young knight; and again “alas!” and therewith a great sob brake from him.

Of a sudden, from the gloom beside the way rose a woman’s scream, and thereafter a great and fierce roar; and presently came Walkyn with his torch and divers of his men, dragging a woman in their midst, and lo! it was the witch of Hangstone Waste.

Now she, beholding Beltane’s face beneath his lifted vizor, cried out for very joy: 

“Now heaven bless thee, Duke Beltane!  Ah, my lord—­hear me!”

“What would ye?  What seek ye of such as I?”

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Beltane the Smith from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.