"I am of the Duke's army," he said, "and was sent on to reconnoitre the forest roads I stumbled on this hut and found four men about to slay a wounded English.One lies outside where I flung him, another is there with a cracked skull, and you have before you the remnant."The knight seemed to consider."And why should a soldier of the Duke's be so careful of English lives?" he asked.
"I would help my lord Duke to conquer this land," was the answer."We have broken their army and the way is straight before us.We shall have to fight other armies, but we cannot be fighting all our days, and we do not conquer England till England accepts us.I have heard enough of that stubborn people to know that the way to win them is not by murder.At fair fight, and then honest dealing and mercy, say I."The knight laughed."A Solomon in judgment," he cried."But who are you that bear a sword and wear gold on your finger?"The old squire broke in."My lord Count, I know the man.He is a hunter of the Lord Odo's, and has a name for valour.He wrought mightily this morning on the hill.They call him Jehan the Hunter, and sometimes Jehan the Outborn, for no man knows his comings.There is a rumour that he is of high blood, and truly in battle he bears himself like a prince.The monks loved him not, but the Lord Odo favoured him."The knight looked steadily for the space of a moment at the tall soldier, and his light eyes seemed to read deep."Are you that man," he asked at last, and got the reply: "I am Jehan the Hunter.""Bid my fellows attend to yon scum," he told his squire."The camp marshal will have fruit for his gallows.The sweepings of all Europe have drifted with us to England, and it is our business to make bonfire of them before they breed a plague....See to the wounded man, likewise.He may be one of the stout house-carles who fought with Harold at Stamford, and to meet us raced like a gale through the length of England.By the Mount of the Archangel, I would fain win such mettle to our cause."Presently the hut was empty save for the two soldiers, who faced each other while the lantern flickered to its end on the rafters.