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Page 277
the road might well reorganize and come to the assistance of their comrades.
He drove Beau through the brush already broken by Sybelle's mare, and his men followed, cursing lust because they had to leave the second fight unfinished and then because the cold stung the minor wounds two of them had received. One looked back, but the man who had been hit in the eye by the quarrel lay as he had fallen. Two prayed for him as they rode, but his body would have to take the chance of being found if those who had attacked them would not collect it with their own for decent burial.
This time Sybelle had not stopped, but the land rose sharply no great distance from the byroad and slowed the pace sufficiently that Walter soon caught sight of her. Tostig had turned to face the sound of oncoming horses and had recognized Walter by his armor, since none of the attackers wore knight's mail. At his word they all waited, and the two groups joined.
"Can we go back, my lord?" Sybelle asked.
Walter looked back through the woods. There was no sound of pursuit now, but they had left a clear trail of broken brush and torn earth, and the attackers must know that they would do so and could be followed at leisure. He tried to remember how many men there had been in the attacking party and how many they had killed or wounded, but it had all happened too fast for accurate memory. He was sure that there were still many more opponents than the men he had, and four of his party were wounded, although not seriously. Still, it would make them slower. Another thing he was sure of was that every effort would be made to prevent his party from regaining the road.
Had Sybelle not been with him, Walter-might have considered returning and bursting through the guard on the road. He did not think there had been enough men to do more than patrol, but he knew they would patrol with wound crossbows, and the idea of a bolt finding its way into Sybelle's soft and silken flesh made him shudder.
"No," Walter replied to Sybelle's question about going back. "They will guard the road. I do not know who they are or whom they hunt, but sight of my shield did not turn them away. They are too well armed and well disciplined to be outlaws. Also, whomever it is they hunt, they want that person dead. And from the lack of care with which they

 
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