NATURE AND SPORT IN BRITAIN 



Manor. I'll teach thee, knave, to steal my game from 

 my park under my very nose." 



The peasant's aspect changed ; his great frame 

 stiffened ; his muscles grew rigid ; a stony look came 

 into his dull blue eyes. 



** I won't part with de food, asking your honour's 

 pardon," he said, *'an' that's flat." 



Sir Edmund uttered a fierce oath, strode to the 

 hearth, kicked the pot over with his boot, and furiously 

 trampled the pieces of half-cooked flesh into the fire 

 and ashes. 



In a sudden impulse of frenzy Goodwin snatched up 

 the long knife from the table ; the knight's back was 

 towards him. With all the energy of his huge frame 

 and the frantic hatred of despair and passion he drove 

 the weapon deep between the ribs of his enemy and 

 destroyer. The keen blade shore to the knight's heart, 

 and with a long, choking groan, horrible to hear, he 

 fell dying upon the stone floor. A gasp or two, a con- 

 vulsive struggle of the limbs and chest, and in a few 

 seconds the knight of the shire, instinct and burning 

 with hot life so recently, lay there as much clay as the 

 walls of the hut around him. 



The man and woman looked at one another with eyes 

 in which sickening horror and the birth of a haunting 

 fear struggled for the mastery. The knife dropped 

 from the man's hand ; his ashen face fell ; the fierce 

 rigour of passion passed from his great frame. 



*' What — what shall us do?" he gasped. 



The woman, pale and trembling as she was, had 

 the readier wit. Her instinct of self-preservation was 

 the stronger. 



''Put him under the bed," she said, "till nightfall, 

 and clane that knife." 



Goodwin did as he was bid, shuddering at his fell 



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