Helookedatherhardasshespake，andnotedthatshespakebutslowly，andturnedredandwhiteandredagainasshelookedathim。
Butwhatevershedid，andinspiteofherpoorattire，hedeemedhehadneverseenwomansofair。Herhairwasdarkred，buthereyesgrey，andlightatwhilesandyetatwhilesdeep；herlipsbetwixtthinandfull，butyetwhenshespokeorsmiledcladwithallenticements；
herchinroundandsowroughtasnonewaseverbetterwrought；
herbodystrongandwell-knit；tallshewas，withfairandlargearms，andlimbsmostgoodlyoffashion，ofwhichbutlittlewashidden，sincehercoatwasbutthinandscanty。Butwhatevermaybesaidofher，nomanwouldhavedeemedheraughtsavemostlovely。
Nowherfacegrewcalmandstatelyagainasitwasatthefirst，andshelaidahandonRalph’sshoulder，andsmiledinhisfaceandsaid：
“Surelythouartfair，thoughthystrokesbenotlight。”
Thenshetookhishandandcaressedit，andsaidagain：
“Dostthoudeemthatthouhastdonegreatthings，fairchild？Maybe。Yetsomewillsaythatthouhastbutslaintwobutchers：andifthouwiltsaythatthouhastdeliveredme；
yetitmaybethatIshouldhavedeliveredmyselferelong。
Neverthelessholdupthineheart，forIthinkthatgreaterthingsawaitthee。”
Thensheturnedabout，andsawthedeadman，howhisfeetyethunginthestirrupsashisfellow’shaddone，savethatthehorseofthisonestoodnighstill，onlyreachinghisheaddowntocropamouthfulofgrass；soshesaid：
“Takehimaway，thatImaymountonhishorse。”
Sohedrewthedeadman’sfeetoutofthestirrups，anddraggedhimawaytowherethebrackengrewdeep，andlaidhimdownthere，sotosayhidden。Thenheturnedbacktothelady，whowaspacingupanddownnearthehorseasthebeastfedquietlyonthecoolgrass。
WhenRalphcamebackshetookthereinsinherhandandputonefootinthestirrupasifshewouldmountatonce；butsuddenlylighteddownagain，andturningtoRalph，castherarmsabouthim，andkissedhisfacemanytimes，blushingredasarosemeantime。
Thenlightlyshegatherupintothesaddle，andbestrodethebeast，andsmotehisflankswithherheels，andwentherwaysridingspeedilytowardthesouth-east，sothatshewassoonoutofsight。
ButRalphstoodstilllookingthewayshehadgoneandwonderingattheadventure；andheponderedherwordsandhelddebatewithhimselfwhetherheshouldtaketheroadshebadehim。Andhesaidwithinhimself：
“HithertohaveIbeensafeandhavegotnoscratchofaweaponuponme，andthisisaplacebyseemingforalladventures；andlittlewaymoreovershallImakeinthenightifImustneedsgotoHamptonunderScaur，wheredwellthosepeaceablepeople；anditisnowgrowingduskalready。
SoIwillabidethemorninghereby；butIwillbewaryandletthewoodcovermeifImay。”
Therewithhewentanddrewthebodyoftheslainmandownintoalittlehollowwherethebrackenwashighandthebramblesgrewstrong，sothatitmightnotbelightlyseen。ThenhecalledtohimFalcon，hishorse，andlookedaboutforcoveranighthewant-way，andfoundalittlethincoppiceofhazelandsweetchestnut，justwheretwogreatoakshadbeenfelledahalfscoreyearsago；andlookingthroughtheleavesthence，hecouldseethefourwaysclearlyenough，thoughitwouldnotbeeasyforanyonetoseehimthence。
Thitherhebetookhim，andhedidthereinoffFalcon，buttetheredhimbyahalterinthethickestofthecopse，andsatdownhimselfnighertotheoutsidethereof；hedidoffhishelmanddrewwhatmeathehadfromouthiswalletandateanddrankinthebeginningofthesummernight；andthensatponderingawhileonwhathadbefallenonthisseconddayofhiswandering。
Themoonshoneoutpresently，littleclouded，buthesawhernot，forthoughhestrovetowakeawhile，slumbersoonovercamehim，andnothingwakedhimtillthenightwaspassing，nordidheseeaughtofthatcompanyofwhichtheladyhadspoken，andwhichinsoothcamenot。
AMeetingandaPartingintheWoodPerilousWhenthefirstglimmerofdawnwasintheskyheawokeinthefreshmorning，andsatupandhearkened，forevenashewokehehadheardsomething，sincewarinesshadmadehimwakeful。
Nowhehearsthesoundofhorse-hoofsonthehardroad，andrisethtohisfeetandgoethtotheveryedgeofthecopse；
lookingthencehesawariderwhowasjustcometotheverycrossingoftheroads。Thenewcomerwasmuchmuffledinawidecloak，butheseemedtobeamanlowofstature。
Hepeeredallroundabouthimasiftoseeifthewaywereclear，andthenalighteddownfromhorsebackandletthehoodfalloffhishead，andseemedponderingwhichwaywerethebesttotake。
BythistimeitwasgrownsomewhatlighterandRalph，lookinghard，deemedthattheriderwasawoman；sohesteppedforwardlightly，andashecameontotheopenswardabouttheway，thenewcomersawhimandputafootintothestirruptomount，butyetlookedathimovertheshoulder，andthenpresentlyleftthesaddleandcameforwardafewstepsasiftomeetRalph，havingcastthecloaktotheground。
ThenRalphsawthatitwasnoneotherthanthedamselofthehostelryofBourtonAbbas，andhecameuptoherandreachedouthishandtoher，andshetookitinbothhersandhelditandsaid，smiling：
“Itisnoughtsavemountainsthatshallnevermeet。HerehaveIfollowedonthyfootsteps；yetknewInotwherethouwouldstbeintheforest。
AndnowIamgladtohavefalleninwiththee；forIamgoingalongway。”
Ralphlookedonherandhimseemedsomepainorshametouchedhisheart，andhesaid：“Iamaknightadventurous；Ihavenoughttodosavetoseekadventures。WhyshouldInotgowiththee？”
Shelookedathimearnestlyawhileandsaid：“Nay，itmaynotbe；thouartalord’sson，andIayeoman’sdaughter。”
Shestopped，andhesaidnothinginanswer。
“Furthermore。”saidshe，“itisalongway，andIknownothowlong。”
Againhemadenoanswer，andshesaid：“IamgoingtoseektheWELLAT
THEWORLD’SEND，andtofinditandlive，ortofinditnot，anddie。”
Hespakeafterawhile：“WhyshouldInotcomewiththee？”
Itwasgrowinglightnow，andhecouldseethatshereddenedandthenturnedpaleandsetherlipsclose。
Thenshesaid：“Becausethouwillestitnot：becausethouhadstliefermakethatjourneywithsomeoneelse。”
Hereddenedinhisturn，andsaid：“Iknowofnooneelsewhoshallgowithme。”
“Well。”shesaid，“itisallone，Iwillnothavetheegowithme。”
“Yea，andwhynot？”saidhe。Shesaid：“WiltthousweartomethatnoughthathhappedtotheetochangetheebetwixtthisandBourton？
Ifthouwilt，thencomewithme；ifthouwiltnot，thenrefrainthee。
AndthisIsaybecauseIseeandfeelthatthereissomechangeintheesinceyesterday，sothatthouwouldstscarcebedealingtrulyinbeingmyfellowinthisquest：fortheythattakeitupmustbesingle-hearted，andthinkofnoughtsavethequestandthefellowthatiswiththem。”
Shelookedonhimsadly，andhismanythoughtstongue-tiedhimawhile；
butatlasthesaid：“Mustthouverilygoonthisquest？”
“Ah。”shesaid，“nowsinceIhaveseentheeandspokenwiththeeagain，allneedthereisthatIshouldfollowitatonce。”
Thentheybothkeptsilence，andwhenshespokeagainhervoicewasasifsheweregayagainstherwill。Shesaid：
“HereamIcometothesewant-ways，andtherearethreeroadsbesidestheoneIcameby，andIwotthatthisthatgoethsouthwillbringmetotheBurgoftheFourFriths；andsomuchI
knowofthefolkofthesaidBurgthattheywouldmockatmeifIaskedthemofthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。
AndasforthewesternwayIdeemthatthatwillleadmebackagaintothepeopledpartswhereofIknow；thereforeIammindedtotaketheeasternway。Whatsayestthou，fairlord？”
SaidRalph：“IhaveheardoflatethatitleadethpresentlytoHamptonundertheScaur，wheredwellethapeopleofgoodwill。”
“Whotoldtheethistale？”saidshe。Ralphanswered，reddeningagain，“Iwastoldbyonewhoseemedtoknowbothofthatfolk，andoftheBurgoftheFourFriths，andshesaidthatthefolkofHamptonwereagoodfolk，andthattheyoftheBurgwereevil。”
Thedamselsmiledsadlywhensheheardhimsay’She，’andwhenhehaddoneshesaid：“AndIhaveheard，andnotfromyesterday，thatatHamptondwelleththeFellowshipoftheDryTree，andthatthoseofthefellowshiparerobbersandreivers。
Neverthelesstheywillperchancebelittleworsethantheothers；
andthetaletellsthatthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEndisbytheDryTree；sothitherwillIatalladventure。
AndnowwillIsayfarewelltothee，foritismostlikethatI
shallnotseetheeagain。”
“O，maiden！”saidRalph，“whywiltthounotgobacktoBourtonAbbas？
ThereImightsoonmeettheeagain，andyet，indeed，IalsoamliketogotoHampton。ShallInotseetheethere？”
Sheshookherheadandsaid：“Nay，sinceImustgosofar，Ishallnottarry；and，soothtosay，ifIsawtheecominginatonegateIshouldgooutbytheother，forwhyshouldIdallywithagriefthatmaynotbeamended。
ForindeedIwotthatthoushaltsoonforgettowishtoseeme，eitheratBourtonAbbasorelsewhere；soIwillsaynomorethanonceagainfarewell。”
Thenshecameclosetohimandputherhandsonhisshouldersandkissedhismouth；andthensheturnedawayswiftly，caughtuphercloak，andgatlightlyintothesaddle，andsoshookherreinsandrodeawayeasttowardHampton，andleftRalphstandingtheredowncastandponderingmanythings。
Itwasstillsoearlyinthesummermorning，andheknewsolittlewhattodo，thatpresentlyheturnedandwalkedbacktohislairamongstthehazels，andtherehelaydown，andhisthoughtsbythenwereallgonebackagaintothelovelyladywhomhehaddelivered，andhewonderedifheshouldeverseeheragain，and，soothtosay，hesorelydesiredtoseeher。
Amidstsuchthoughtshefellasleepagain，forthenightyetowedhimsomethingofrest，soyoungashewasandsohardashehadtoiled，bothbodyandmind，duringthepastday。
NowMustRalphRideForItWhenheawokeagainthesunwasshiningthroughthehazelleaves，thoughitwasyetearly；hearoseandlookedtohishorse，andledhimoutofthehazelcopseandstoodandlookedabouthim；andlo！amancomingslowlythroughthewoodonRalph’srighthand，andmakingasitseemedforthewant-way；
hesawRalphpresently，andstopped，andbentabowwhichheheldinhishand，andthencametowardshimwarily，withthearrownocked。
ButRalphwenttomeethimwithhisswordinhissheath，andleadingFalconbytherein，andthemanstoppedandtooktheshaftfromthestring：
hehadnoarmour，buttherewasalittleaxeandawood-knifeinhisgirdle；
hewascladinhomespun，andlookedlikeacarleofthecountry-side。
NowhegreetedRalph，andRalphgavehimtheseleoftheday，andsawthatthenew-comerwasbothtallandstrong，darkofskinandblack-haired，butofacheerfulcountenance。HespakefrankandfreetoRalph，andsaid：
“Whitheraway，lord，outofthewoodlandhall，andthedwellingofdeerandstrong-thieves？Iwouldthatthedeerwouldchoosethemacaptain，andgatherheadanddestroythethieves——andsomefewotherswiththem。”
SaidRalph：“ImayscarcetelltheetillIknowmyself。
AwhileagoIwasmindedfortheBurgoftheFourFriths；
butnowIamforHamptonunderScaur。”
“Yea？”saidthecarle，“whentheDevildrives，tohellmustwe。”
“Whatmeanestthou，goodfellow？”saidRalph，“IsHamptonthensoevilanabode？”Andindeeditwasinhismindthattheadventureoftheladyledcaptiveboresomeevilwithit。
Saidthecarle：“IfthouwertnotastrangerinthesepartsI
neednottoanswerthyquestion；butIwillansweritpresently，yetnottillwehaveeaten，forIhunger，andhaveinthiswalletbothbreadandcheese，andthouartwelcometoasharethereof，ifthouhungerestalso，asismostlike，whereasthouartyoungandfreshcoloured。”
“Soitis。”saidRalph，laughing，“andIalsomayhelptospreadthistableinthewilderness，sincethereareyetsomecrumbsinmywallet。
Letussitdownandfalltoatonce。”
“Byyourleave，SirGentleman。”saidthecarle，“wewillgoafewyardsfurtheron，wherethereisawoodlandbrook，whereofwemaydrinkwhenmybottlefaileth。”
