men, provided they kept the standards he demanded of them. “I am sorry,” hesaid when Herward had done, “to hear of this loss, and sorrierstill that I must tell you at once you will be seeking your party in vain herein Shrewsbury. Since this attack took place I have had word brought to me ofevery soul from Worcester who has entered the town, and these three are notamong them. Many have already left again for home, now that his Grace hasreinforced the garrison in Worcester. If, as you say, the uncle of thesechildren has now returned to England, and is a man of substance, can he notundertake the search in person?”

It was Herward’s weakness that he had withheld, up to that point, all butthe name of that nobleman, putting off the evil moment. And as yet the namemeant nothing, beyond a knight with the credit or the Crusade shedding lustreupon him, newly arrived from the Holy Land, where a relatively secure peaceheld at this time. But no help for it, the truth would out.

“My lord,” owned Herward, sighing, “Laurence d’Angers is willing and anxiousto make search for his nephew and niece, but for that he requires yourcountenance, or the special dispensation of his Grace the king. For he returnedhome as an Angevin owing allegiance to the Empress Maud, and had attachedhimself and his men to her forces at Gloucester.” He hurried on, to have allsaid while speech was allowed him, for the sheriff’s level brows had drawntogether into a steely bar above eyes now narrowed and bright in understanding.“He had not arrived in Gloucester until a week after the attack, he took nopart in it, knew nothing of it, cannot be held responsible for it. He came onlyto discover that his kin were lost, and all his desire is to find them and seethem into safety. But it is impossible for a man of Gloucester to come nearWorcester now, or to enter the king’s lands except by special safe-conduct.”