Harold Lamb

“ And it often happens that good comes of high thoughts.
At the gate opening upon the northern highway he trotted into a group of men-at-arms who carried halberds though they did not seem to be on duty. They were lean and dark skinned; they wore finely wrought and polished armor, with thigh pieces and crested morions, inlaid with silver and gold. Thorne knew them for Spaniards.
One of them rose and took his rein as he would have passed. ”

“ D'Alaber exclaimed. “To block the road against thy betters!”
Thorne glanced at him swiftly, seeing under a plumed velvet hat a face small and white with intent eyes.
“Nay, Sir Stranger,” he laughed, “the shoe is upon the other foot. For a man who can not manage such a mettled beast as that of yours is mannerless, indeed.” ”

“ But a pledge to a dying man must be kept, and he wanted a glance at this Master Durforth.
“My lord of Stratford did say that the Spaniards wished us evil, and here is one full of it already, and requited therefor, poor knave. He meant to ride, it would appear, with Durforth, and I must keep his rendezvous for him."
Some moments later he spurred out of the mist at a crossroads where several men had dismounted, evidently to wait for some one. ”