"Thanks, lady, but no gift will I take. I am failing in my duty, but at least it shall not be said that I received aught for doing so." "Then at least--" the girl began, turning to Roger. "No, lady," the man-at-arms said. "I am neither knight nor esquire, but a simple soldier; but I take no presents for saving two maidens from capture and captivity. I have been a monk all my life, though now a man-at-arms. Never before have I had an opportunity of doing aught of kindness for a woman, and I am glad that the chance has fallen in my way." "May I ask the name of one who has done us such kindness?" the girl said, turning to Oswald. "It were best not, lady. It is a service that might cost me my head, were it to be bruited about. 'Tis best, then, that even you should not know it. I doubt not that you would preserve the secret; but you would perhaps mention it to your father, and it were best that it were known to none." The girls were silent for a minute. "Sir," the elder said, after exchanging a word or two with her sister, "we would ask a boon of you. The successes in a war are not always on one side. My sister and I will think often of one who has so greatly befriended us; and were you, by any accident of war, to fall into the Welsh hands, and should evil befall you, it would be a deep grief to us. We pray you then, sir, to accept this little gold necklet. Its value is small, indeed, but it was given to me when a child by my father. My name and his are engraved on the clasp. Should you, at any time of stress, send this to my father; right sure am I that, on recognizing it, he would treat as dear friends those who have done so much for his daughters. I pray you to accept it, and to wear it always round your neck or wrist; and if it should never prove useful to you, it will at least recall us to your thoughts." "I cannot be so churlish, lady, as to refuse your token so offered; and though I hope that it will not be needful to use it as you say--for, indeed, I expect to return very shortly to my lord in Northumberland--it will be a pleasant remembrance of the service that a good fortune has enabled me to render, to two fair maidens. Be assured that I shall ever keep your necklet, for the sake of the givers. "And now, farewell! We must be back at our post, for the captain of the guard will be going his round, and we might be missed." "We shall never forget you, sir. May the blessing of God fall on you, for your kind deed!" "May all good fortune attend you!" Oswald answered; and then, with Roger, he made his way back to his post; while the girls hurried on, and entered the forest. Chapter 11: Bad News. "This has been a strange adventure, Roger."