in features and most eager and alert in expression。 A thick
fringe of crisp yellow curls broke from under the dark flat cap
which he was wearing； and a short golden beard hid the outline of
his strong square chin。 One white osprey feather thrust through a
gold brooch in the front of his cap gave a touch of grace to his
somber garb。 This and other points of his attire； the short
hanging mantle； the leather…sheathed hunting…knife； the cross belt
which sustained a brazen horn； the soft doe…skin boots and the
prick spurs； would all disclose themselves to an observer； but at
the first glance the brown face set in gold and the dancing light
of the quick； reckless； laughing eyes； were the one strong memory
left behind。
Such was the youth who； cracking his whip joyously； and followed
by half a score of dogs； cantered on his rude pony down the
Tilford Lane； and thence it was that with a smile of amused
contempt upon his face he observed the comedy in the field and the
impotent efforts of the servants of Waverley。
Suddenly； however； as the comedy turned swiftly to black tragedy；
this passive spectator leaped into quick strenuous life。 With a
spring he was off his pony； and with another he was over the stone
wall and flying swiftly across the field。 Looking up from his
victim； the great yellow horse saw this other enemy approach； and
spurning the prostrate； but still writhing body with its heels；
dashed at the newcomer。
But this time there was no hasty flight； no rapturous pursuit to
the wall。 The little man braced himself straight； flung up his
metal…headed whip； and met the horse with a crashing blow upon the
head； repeated again and again with every attack。 In vain the
horse reared and tried to overthrow its enemy with swooping
shoulders and pawing hoofs。 Cool； swift and alert； the man sprang
swiftly aside from under the very shadow of death； and then again
came the swish and thud of the unerring blow from the heavy
handle。
The horse drew off； glared with wonder and fury at this masterful
man； and then trotted round in a circle； with mane bristling； tail
streaming and ears on end； snorting in its rage and pain。 The
man； hardly deigning to glance at his fell neighbor； passed on to
the wounded forester； raised him in his arms with a strength which
could not have been expected in so slight a body； and carried him；
groaning； to the wall； where a dozen hands were outstretched to
help him over。 Then； at his leisure； the young man also climbed
the wall； smiling back with cool contempt at the yellow horse；
which had come raging after him once more。
As he sprang down； a dozen monks surrounded him to thank him or to
praise him； but he would have turned sullenly away without a word
had he not been stopped by Abbot John in person。
〃Nay； Squire Loring；〃 said he； 〃if you be a bad friend to our
Abbey； yet we must needs own that you have played the part of a
good Christian this day； for if there is breath left in our
servant's body it is to you next to our blessed patron Saint
Bernard that we owe it。〃
〃By Saint Paul！ I owe you no good…will； Abbot John；〃 said the
young man。 〃The shadow of your Abbey has ever fallen across the
house of Loring。 As to any small deed that I may have done this
day； I ask no thanks for it。 It is not for you nor for your house
that I have done it； but only because it was my pleasure so to
do。〃
The Abbot flushed at the bold words； and bit his lip with
vexation。
It was the sacrist； however； who answered： 〃It would be more
fitting and more gracious；〃 said he； 〃if you were to speak to the
holy Father Abbot in a manner suited to his high rank and to the
respect which is due to a Prince of the Church。〃
The youth turned his bold blue eyes upon the monk； and his
sunburned face darkened with anger。 〃Were it not for the gown
upon your back； and for your silvering hair； I would answer you in
another fashion；〃 said he。 〃You are the lean wolf which growls
ever at our door； greedy for the little which hath been left to
us。 Say and do what you will with me； but by Saint Paul！ if I
find that Dame Ermyntrude is baited by your ravenous pack I will
beat them off with this whip from the little patch which still
remains of all the acres of my fathers。〃
〃Have a care； Nigel Loring； have a care！〃 cried the Abbot； with
finger upraised。 〃Have you no fears of the law of England？ 〃
〃A just law I fear and obey。〃
〃Have you no respect for Holy Church？〃
〃I respect all that is holy in her。 I do not respect those who
grind the poor or steal their neighbor's land。〃
〃Rash man； many a one has been blighted by her ban for less than
you have now said！ And yet it is not for us to judge you harshly
this day。 You are young and hot words come easily to your lips。
How fares the forester？〃
〃His hurt is grievous； Father Abbot； but he will live；〃 said a
brother； looking up from the prostrate form。 〃 With a
blood…letting and an electuary； I will warrant him sound within a
month。〃
〃Then bear him to the hospital。 And now； brother； about this
terrible beast who still gazes and snorts at us over the top of
the wall as though his thoughts of Holy Church were as uncouth as
those of Squire Nigel himself； what are we to do with him？〃
〃Here is Franklin Aylward；〃 said one of the brethren。 〃The horse
was his； and doubtless he will take it back to his farm。〃
But the stout red…faced farmer shook his head at the proposal。
〃Not I； in faith！〃 said he。 〃The beast hath chased me twice round
the paddock； it has nigh slain my boy Samkin。 He would never be
happy till he had ridden it； nor has he ever been happy since。
There is not a hind in my employ who will enter his stall。 Ill
fare the day that ever I took the beast from the Castle stud at
Guildford； where they could do nothing with it and no rider could
be found bold enough to mount it！ When the sacrist here took it
for a fifty…shilling debt he made his own bargain and must abide
by it。 He comes no more to the Crooksbury farm。〃
〃And he stays no more here；〃 said the Abbot。 〃Brother sacrist；
you have raised the Devil； and it is for you to lay it again。〃
〃That I will most readily；〃 cried the sacrist。 〃The pittance…
master can stop the fifty shillings from my very own weekly dole；
and so the Abbey be none the poorer。 In the meantime here is Wat
with his arbalist and a bolt in his girdle。 Let him drive it to
the head through this cursed creature； for his hide and his hoofs
are of more value than his wicked self。〃
A hard brown old woodman who had been shooting vermin in the Abbey
groves stepped forward with a grin of pleasure。 After a lifetime
of stoats and foxes； this was indeed a noble quarry which was to
fall before him。 Fitting a bolt on the nut of his taut crossbow；
he had raised it to his shoulder and leveled it at the fierce；
proud； disheveled head which tossed in savage freedom at the other
side of the wall。 His finger was crooked on the spring； when a
blow from a whip struck the bow upward and the bolt flew harmless
over the Abbey orchard； while the woodman shrank abashed from
Nigel Loring's angry eyes。
〃Keep your bolts for your weasels！〃 said he。 〃Would you take life
from a creature whose only fault is that its spirit is so high
that it has met none yet who dare control it？ You would slay such
a horse as a king might be proud to mount； and all because a
country franklin； or a monk； or a monk's varlet； has not the wit
nor the hands to master him？〃
The sacrist turned swiftly on the Squire。 〃The Abbey owes you an
offering for this day's work； however rude your words may be；〃
said he。 〃If you think so much of the horse； you may desire to
own it。 If I am to pay for it； then with the holy Abbot's
permission it is in my gift and I bestow it freely upon you。〃
The Abbot plucked at his subordinate's sleeve。 〃Bethink you；
brother sacrist；〃 he whispered； 〃shall we not have this man's
blood upon our heads？〃
〃His pride is as stubborn as the horse's； holy father；〃 the
sacrist answered； his gaunt fact breaking into a malicious smile。
〃Man or beast； one will break the other and the world will be the
better for it。 If you forbid me … 〃
〃Nay； brother； you have bought the horse； and you may have the
bestowal of it。〃
〃Then I give it … hide and hoofs； tail and temper … to Nigel
Loring； and may it be as sweet and as gentle to him as he hath
been to the Abbot of Waverley！〃
The sacrist spoke aloud amid the tittering of the monks； for the
man concerned was out of earshot。 At the first words which had
shown him the turn which affairs had taken he had run swiftly to
the spot where he had left his pony。 From its mouth he removed
the bit and the stout bridle which held it。 Then leaving the
creature to nibble the grass by the wayside he sped back whence he
came。
〃I take your gift； monk；〃 said he； 〃though I know well why it is
that you give it。 Yet I thank you； for there are two things upon
earth for which I have ever yearned； and which my thin purse could
never buy。 The one is a noble horse； such a horse as my father's
son should have betwixt his thighs； and here is the one of all
others which I would have chosen； sin