"
"And you let him go? You did not persuade him, stop him? You let him go
hence to his death?"
In vain the good man expostulated and explained that it was no fault of
his.
"You must come with me this instant to my father,--to them; they must be
parted. They shall be parted. If you dare not, I dare. I will throw myself
between them, and he that strikes the other shall strike me."
And she hurried the priest out of the house, down the knoll, and across
the yard. There they found others on the same errand. The news that a
battle was toward had soon spread, and the men-at-arms were hurrying down
to the fight; kept back, however, by Alef, who strode along at their head.
Alef was sorely perplexed in mind. He had taken, as all honest men did, a
great liking to Hereward. Moreover, he was his kinsman and his guest. Save
him he would if he could but how to save him without mortally offending
his tyrant Ironhook he could not see. At least he would exert what little
power he had, and prevent, if possible, his men-at-arms from helping their
darling leader against the hapless lad.
Alef's perplexity was much increased when his daughter bounded towards
him, seizing him by the arm, and hurried him on, showing by look and word
which of the combatants she favored, so plainly that the ruffians behind
broke into scornful murmurs.
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