As Norman of Torn rode out from the castle of De Stutevill, Father Claudedismounted from his sleek donkey within the ballium of Torn. The austerestronghold, notwithstanding its repellent exterior and unsavory reputation,always extended a warm welcome to the kindly, genial priest; not alonebecause of the deep friendship which the master of Torn felt for the goodfather, but through the personal charm, and lovableness of the holy man'snature, which shone alike on saint and sinner.

It was doubtless due to his unremitting labors with the youthful Norman,during the period that the boy's character was most amenable to strongimpressions, that the policy of the mighty outlaw was in many respects pureand lofty. It was this same influence, though, which won for Father Claudehis only enemy in Torn; the little, grim, gray, old man whose sole aim inlife seemed to have been to smother every finer instinct of chivalry andmanhood in the boy, to whose training he had devoted the past nineteenyears of his life.

As Father Claude climbed down from his donkey -- fat people do not"dismount" -- a half dozen young squires ran forward to assist him, and tolead the animal to the stables.

The good priest called each of his willing helpers by name, asking aquestion here, passing a merry joke there with the ease and familiaritythat bespoke mutual affection and old acquaintance.

As he passed in through the great gate, the men-at-arms threw him laughing,though respectful, welcomes and within the great court, beautified withsmooth lawn, beds of gorgeous plants, fountains, statues and small shrubsand bushes, he came upon the giant, Red Shandy, now the principallieutenant of Norman of Torn.

"Good morrow, Saint Claude !" cried the burly ruffian. "Hast come to saveour souls, or damn us ? What manner of sacrilege have we committed now, orhave we merited the blessings of Holy Church ? Dost come to scold, orpraise ?"

"Neither, thou unregenerate villain," cried the priest, laughing. "Thoughmethinks ye merit chiding for the grievous poor courtesy with which thoudidst treat the great Bishop of Norwich the past week."

"Tut, tut, Father," replied Red Shandy. "We did but aid him to adhere moreclosely to the injunctions and precepts of Him whose servant and disciplehe claims to be. Were it not better for an Archbishop of His Church towalk in humility and poverty among His people, than to be ever surroundedwith the temptations of fine clothing, jewels and much gold, to say nothingof two sumpter beasts heavy laden with runlets of wine ?"

"I warrant his temptations were less by at least as many runlets of wine asmay be borne by two sumpter beasts when thou, red robber, had finished withhim," exclaimed Father Claude.

"Yes, Father," laughed the great fellow, "for the sake of Holy Church, Idid indeed confiscate that temptation completely, and if you must needshave proof in order to absolve me from my sins, come with me now and youshall sample the excellent discrimination which the Bishop of Norwichdisplays in the selection of his temptations."

"They tell me you left the great man quite destitute of finery, RedShandy, " continued Father Claude, as he locked his arm in that of theoutlaw and proceeded toward the castle.

"One garment was all that Norman of Torn would permit him, and as the sunwas hot overhead, he selected for the Bishop a bassinet for that singlearticle of apparel, to protect his tonsured pate from the rays of old sol.Then, fearing that it might be stolen from him by some vandals of the road,he had One Eye Kanty rivet it at each side of the gorget so that it couldnot be removed by other than a smithy, and thus, strapped face to tail upona donkey, he sent the great Bishop of Norwich rattling down the dusty roadwith his head, at least, protected from the idle gaze of whomsoever hemight chance to meet. Forty stripes he gave to each of the Bishop'sretinue for being abroad in bad company; but come, here we are where youshall have the wine as proof of my tale."

As the two sat sipping the Bishop's good Canary, the little old man of Tornentered. He spoke to Father Claude in a surly tone, asking him if he knewaught of the whereabouts of Norman of Torn.

"We have seen nothing of him since, some three days gone, he rode out inthe direction of your cottage," he concluded.

"Why, yes," said the priest, "I saw him that day. He had an adventure withseveral knights from the castle of Peter of Colfax, from whom he rescued adamsel whom I suspect from the trappings of her palfrey to be of the houseof Montfort. Together they rode north, but thy son did not say whither orfor what purpose. His only remark, as he donned his armor, while the girlwaited without, was that I should now behold the falcon guarding the dove.Hast he not returned ?"

"No," said the old man, "and doubtless his adventure is of a nature in linewith thy puerile and effeminate teachings. Had he followed my training,without thy accurst priestly interference, he had made an iron-barred nestin Torn for many of the doves of thy damned English nobility. An' thouleave him not alone, he will soon be seeking service in the household ofthe King."

"Where, perchance, he might be more at home than here," said the priestquietly.

"Why say you that ?" snapped the little old man, eyeing Father Claudenarrowly.

"Oh," laughed the priest, "because he whose power and mien be even morekingly than the King's would rightly grace the royal palace," but he hadnot failed to note the perturbation his remark had caused, nor did hisoff-hand reply entirely deceive the old man.

At this juncture, a squire entered to say that Shandy's presence wasrequired at the gates, and that worthy, with a sorrowing and regretfulglance at the unemptied flagon, left the room.

For a few moments, the two men sat in meditative silence, which waspresently broken by the old man of Torn.

"Priest," he said, "thy ways with my son are, as you know, not to myliking. It were needless that he should have wasted so much precious timefrom swordplay to learn the useless art of letters. Of what benefit may aknowledge of Latin be to one whose doom looms large before him. It may beyears and again it may be but months, but as sure as there be a devil inhell, Norman of Torn will swing from a king's gibbet. And thou knowst it,and he too, as well as I. The things which thou hast taught him be abovehis station, and the hopes and ambitions they inspire will but make his endthe bitterer for him. Of late I have noted that he rides upon the highwaywith less enthusiasm than was his wont, but he has gone too far ever to goback now; nor is there where to go back to. What has he ever been otherthan outcast and outlaw ? What hopes could you have engendered in hisbreast greater than to be hated and feared among his blood enemies ?"

"I knowst not thy reasons, old man," replied the priest, "for devoting thylife to the ruining of his, and what I guess at be such as I dare notvoice; but let us understand each other once and for all. For all thoudost and hast done to blight and curse the nobleness of his nature, I havedone and shall continue to do all in my power to controvert. As thou hastbeen his bad angel, so shall I try to be his good angel, and when all issaid and done and Norman of Torn swings from the King's gibbet, as I onlytoo well fear he must, there will be more to mourn his loss than there beto curse him.

"His friends are from the ranks of the lowly, but so too were the friendsand followers of our Dear Lord Jesus; so that shall be more greatly to hishonor than had he preyed upon the already unfortunate.

"Women have never been his prey; that also will be spoken of to his honorwhen he is gone, and that he has been cruel to men will be forgotten in thegreater glory of his mercy to the weak.

"Whatever be thy object: whether revenge or the natural bent of a cruel anddegraded mind, I know not; but if any be curst because of the Outlaw ofTorn, it will be thou -- I had almost said, unnatural father; but I do notbelieve a single drop of thy debased blood flows in the veins of him thoucallest son."

The grim old man of Torn had sat motionless throughout this indictment, hisface, somewhat pale, was drawn into lines of malevolent hatred and rage,but he permitted Father Claude to finish without interruption.

"Thou hast made thyself and thy opinions quite clear," he said bitterly,"but I be glad to know just how thou standeth. In the past there has beenpeace between us, though no love; now let us both understand that it be warand hate. My life work is cut out for me. Others, like thyself, havestood in my path, yet today I am here, but where are they ? Dostunderstand me, priest ?" And the old man leaned far across the table sothat his eyes, burning with an insane fire of venom, blazed but a fewinches from those of the priest.

Father Claude returned the look with calm level gaze.

"I understand," he said, and, rising, left the castle.

Shortly after he had reached his cottage, a loud knock sounded at the door,which immediately swung open without waiting the formality of permission.Father Claude looked up to see the tall figure of Norman of Torn, and hisface lighted with a pleased smile of welcome.

"Greetings, my son," said the priest.

"And to thee, Father," replied the outlaw, "And what may be the news ofTorn. I have been absent for several days. Is all well at the castle ?"

"All be well at the castle," replied Father Claude, "if by that you meanhave none been captured or hanged for their murders. Ah, my boy, why wiltthou not give up this wicked life of thine ? It has never been my way toscold or chide thee, yet always hath my heart ached for each crime laid atthe door of Norman of Torn."

"Come, come, Father," replied the outlaw, "what dost I that I have not goodexample for from the barons, and the King, and Holy Church. Murder, theft,rapine ! Passeth a day over England which sees not one or all perpetratedin the name of some of these ?

"Be it wicked for Norman of Torn to prey upon the wolf, yet righteous forthe wolf to tear the sheep ? Methinks not. Only do I collect from thosewho have more than they need, from my natural enemies; while they prey uponthose who have naught.

"Yet," and his manner suddenly changed, "I do not love it, Father. Thatthou know. I would that there might be some way out of it, but there isnone.

"If I told you why I wished it, you would be surprised indeed, nor can Imyself understand; but, of a verity, my greatest wish to be out of thislife is due to the fact that I crave the association of those very enemiesI have been taught to hate. But it is too late, Father, there can be butone end and that the lower end of a hempen rope."

"No, my son, there is another way, an honorable way," replied the goodFather. "In some foreign clime there be opportunities abundant for such asthee. France offers a magnificent future to such a soldier as Norman ofTorn. In the court of Louis, you would take your place among the highestof the land. You be rich and brave and handsome. Nay do not raise yourhand. You be all these and more, for you have learning far beyond themajority of nobles, and you have a good heart and a true chivalry ofcharacter. With such wondrous gifts, naught could bar your way to thehighest pinnacles of power and glory, while here you have no future beyondthe halter. Canst thou hesitate, Norman of Torn ?"

The young man stood silent for a moment, then he drew his hand across hiseyes as though to brush away a vision.

"There be a reason, Father, why I must remain in England for a time atleast, though the picture you put is indeed wondrous alluring."

And the reason was Bertrade de Montfort.