"Since ye give me the choice, fair sir, I will depart hence with Roger alone,
whom ye call my man, though to me he seemeth to be yours. Howbeit, he has
led me to you once, and belike will do so once more."
"Yea," quoth the big man smiling no whit more than erst,
"and that will make the fourth time. Depart then, fair sir,
and take this word with thee that I wish thee good and not evil."
CHAPTER 16
Ralph Rideth the Wood Perilous Again
Now Roger led up to Ralph a strong horse, red roan of hue, duly harnessed
for war, and he himself had a good grey horse, and they mounted at once,
and Ralph rode slowly away through the wood at his horse's will, for he was
pondering all that had befallen him, and wondering what next should hap.
Meanwhile those others had not loitered, but were a-horseback at once,
and went their ways from Ralph through the wildwood.
Nought spake Ralph for a while till Roger came close up to him and said:
"Whither shall we betake us, fair lord? hast thou an inkling of the road
whereon lies thine errand?"
Now to Ralph this seemed but mockery, and he answered sharply:
"I wot not, thou wilt lead whither thou wilt, even as thou hast trained
me hitherward with lies and a forged tale. I suppose thou wilt lead
me now by some roundabout road to the stronghold of the Dry Tree.
It matters little, since thou durst not lead me back into the Burg.
Yet now I come to think of it, it is evil to be alone with a found
out traitor and liar; and I had belike have done better to go
with their company.
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