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Page 261
own thoughts, and he first associated the sound of the oncoming horses with the guests Sir Roland had mentioned. Also, the road curved, so that even though most of the trees were bare of leaves, it was impossible to see any distance ahead and sounds were muted and distorted.
Suddenly, however, several half-perceived impressions came together in Walter's head. It was much too early for guests to have come this far unless they had traveled all night, which was out of the question during such cold; the sounds he was hearing were of many horses, far too many for a guesting party; most important of all, the horses were coming at a gallop! Walter threw back his hood and shouted a warning. It had not yet entered his mind that the oncoming party was any specific threat to them, but any group riding that fast heralded trouble. Either they were in hot pursuit of someone or they were fleeing pursuit. Whichever was true, Walter did not wish to tangle with a group as large as this one sounded to be, particularly when Sybelle was with him.
Not far behind, Walter remembered, there had been a narrow track leading south into the desolate mountain area. Walter did not imagine it went far, possibly only a few hundred yards to a woodcutters' village, but he was not thinking of seeking shelter or defense, only of getting out of the way of a troop that he was sure had no interest in him. He shouted at Sybelle to ride back, at the men to make way for her, and at Tostig to find the bypath and lead the men into it.
There was barely a minute of confusion before Walter's orders were obeyed. The men were trained to swift obedience, and Sybelle had become aware of the danger at about the same time Walter did. She was through the group, kicking and yelling at her mare, partly to encourage the animal but also because she felt the female voice would inform any war party that they were neutrals. The men closed in behind her, whipping their horses to a gallop. Walter was the last to turn. He had had no sight of the oncoming troop, but he felt from the sound that they were very close, barely around the next turn of the road.
Because he had no suspicion that he was the prey the riders sought, Walter swept his cloak aside to expose his shield. He assumed that even if his colors were not recognized, the blazon would inform pursuers or those who fled other pursuers that he was neither enemy nor target. Moreover, the fact

 
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