If the loyalty and affection of all around would prove a safeguard, the knight need have no fear from the claims advanced by any adversary.
"There has been a muttering of coming tempest anent those vexed forest rights," continued the lady, in reply to some indignant words from the nurse.

"I would that difficult question could be settled and laid at rest; but my good lord has yielded something too much already for the sake of peace and quietness, and at each concession Mortimer's word was passed that he would claim no further rights over the portion that remained to us.

But his word is broken without scruple, and we cannot ever be giving way.

Were no stand to be made, the whole forest track would soon be claimed by Mortimer, and we should have nothing but the bare park that is fenced about and cannot be filched bit by bit away.

But all the world knows that Chad has forest rights equal to those of Mortimer.
It is but to seek a quarrel that the baron continues to push his claims ever nearer and nearer our walls." Another murmur of indignation went round; but there was no time for further talk, as at that moment the three boys entered from the tilt yard; hot, thirsty, and breathless, and the fair-haired lad with the dreamy blue eyes held a kerchief to his head that was stained with blood.
"Art hurt, Edred ?" asked the mother, looking up.
"'Tis but a scratch," answered the boy.