'
So again on the morrow he was there betimes, and the morn was windy
as on the day before, but the clouds higher and of better promise for
the day. Face-of-god walked to and fro on the Maiden Ward, and as he
turned toward Burgstead for the tenth time, he heard, as he deemed, a
bow-string twang afar off, and even therewith came a shaft flying
heavily like a winged bird, which smote a great standing stone on the
other side of the way, where of old some chieftain had been buried,
and fell to earth at its foot. He went up to it and handled it, and
saw that there was a piece of thin parchment wrapped about it, which
indeed he was eager to unwrap at once, but forebore; because he was
on the highway, and people were already astir, and even then passed
by him a goodman of the Dale with a man of his going afield together,
and they gave him the sele of the day. So he went along the highway
a little till he came to a place where was a footbridge over into the
meadow. He crossed thereby and went swiftly till he reached a rising
ground grown over with hazel-trees; there he sat down among the
rabbit-holes, the primrose and wild-garlic blooming about him, and
three blackbirds answering one another from the edges of the coppice.
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