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〃Why； then； by thine own showing； ancient；〃 said Raleigh； 〃thou may'st go and see all safely enough； and then if the puck jumps on thee as thou comest back； just run in with him here； and I'll buy him of thee for a noble； or thou may'st keep him in a cage； and make money in London by showing him for a monster。〃
〃Good heavens forefend； Captain Raleigh！ but you talk rashly！ But if I must； Captain Leigh
'Where duty calls To brazen walls； How base the slave who flinches'
Lads； who'll follow me？〃
〃Thou askest for volunteers； as if thou wert to lead a forlorn hope。 Pull away at the usquebaugh； man； and swallow Dutch courage； since thine English is oozed away。 Stay； I'll go myself。〃
〃And I with you；〃 said Raleigh。 〃As the queen's true knight… errant； I am bound to be behindhand in no adventure。 Who knows but we may find a wicked magician； just going to cut off the head of some saffron…mantled princess？〃 and he dismounted。
〃Oh； sirs； sirs； to endanger your precious〃
〃Pooh；〃 said Raleigh。 〃I wear an amulet； and have a spell of art… magic at my tongue's end； whereby； sir ancient； neither can a ghost see me； nor I see them。 Come with us； Yeo； the Desmond…slayer； and we will shame the devil； or be shamed by him。〃
〃He may shame me； sir； but he will never frighten me；〃 quoth Yeo； 〃but the bog； captains？〃
〃Tut！ Devonshire men； and heath…trotters born； and not know our way over a peat moor！〃
And the three strode away。
They splashed and scrambled for some quarter of a mile to the knoll； while the cry became louder and louder as they neared。
〃That's neither ghost nor otter； sirs； but a true Irish howl； as Captain Leigh said； and I'll warrant Master Shamus knew as much long ago；〃 said Yeo。
And in fact； they could now hear plainly the 〃Ochone； Ochonorie；〃 of some wild woman； and scrambling over the boulders of the knoll； in another minute came full upon her。
She was a young girl； sluttish and unkempt； of course； but fair enough： her only covering； as usual； was the ample yellow mantle。 There she sat upon a stone； tearing her black dishevelled hair； and every now and then throwing up her head； and bursting into a long mournful cry； 〃for all the world；〃 as Yeo said； 〃like a dumb four… footed hound； and not a Christian soul。〃
On her knees lay the head of a man of middle age； in the long soutane of a Romish priest。 One look at the attitude of his limbs told them that he was dead。
The two paused in awe； and Raleigh's spirit； susceptible of all poetical images； felt keenly that strange scene；the bleak and bitter sky； the shapeless bog； the stunted trees； the savage girl alone with the corpse in that utter desolation。 And as she bent her head over the still face； and called wildly to him who heard her not； and then； utterly unmindful of the intruders； sent up again that dreary wail into the dreary air； they felt a sacred horror； which almost made them turn away； and leave her unquestioned： but Yeo； whose nerves were of tougher fibre； asked quietly
〃Shall I go and search the fellow； captain？〃
〃Better； I think；〃 said Amyas。
Raleigh went gently to the girl； and spoke to her in English。 She looked up at him； his armor and his plume； with wide and wondering eyes； and then shook her head； and returned to her lamentation。
Raleigh gently laid his hand on her arm； and lifted her up； while Yeo and Amyas bent over the corpse。
It was the body of a large and coarse…featured man； but wasted and shrunk as if by famine to a very skeleton。 The hands and legs were cramped up； and the trunk bowed together； as if the man had died of cold or famine。 Yeo drew back the clothes from the thin bosom； while the girl screamed and wept； but made no effort to stop him。
〃Ask her who it is？ Yeo； you know a little Irish；〃 said Amyas。
He asked； but the girl made no answer。 〃The stubborn jade won't tell； of course； sir。 If she were but a man； I'd make her soon enough。〃
〃Ask her who killed him？〃
〃No one； she says； and I believe she says true； for I can find no wound。 The man has been starved； sirs； as I am a sinful man。 God help him； though he is a priest； and yet he seems full enough down below。 What's here？ A big pouch； sirs； stuffed full of somewhat。〃
〃Hand it hither。〃
The two opened the pouch； papers； papers； but no scrap of food。 Then a parchment。 They unrolled it。
〃Latin；〃 said Amyas； 〃you must construe； Don Scholar。〃
〃Is it possible？〃 said Raleigh； after reading a moment。 〃This is indeed a prize！ This is Saunders himself！〃
Yeo sprang up from the body as if he had touched an adder。 〃Nick Saunders； the Legacy； sir？〃
〃Nicholas Saunders； the legate。〃
〃The villain！ why did not he wait for me to have the comfort of killing him？ Dog！〃 and he kicked the corpse with his foot。
〃Quiet！ quiet！ Remember the poor girl；〃 said Amyas； as she shrieked at the profanation； while Raleigh went on； half to himself：
〃Yes； this is Saunders。 Misguided fool； and this is the end！ To this thou hast come with thy plotting and thy conspiring； thy lying and thy boasting； consecrated banners and Pope's bulls； Agnus Deis and holy waters； the blessing of all saints and angels； and thy Lady of the Immaculate Conception！ Thou hast called on the heavens to judge between thee and us； and here is their answer！ What is that in his hand； Amyas？ Give it me。 A pastoral epistle to the Earl of Ormond； and all nobles of the realm of Ireland； 'To all who groan beneath the loathsome tyranny of an illegitimate adulteress； etc。； Nicholas Saunders； by the grace of God； Legate； etc。' Bah！ and this forsooth was thy last meditation！ Incorrigible pedant！ Victrix causa Diis placuit； sed victa Catoni！〃
He ran his eye through various other documents； written in the usual strain： full of huge promises from the Pope and the king of Spain； frantic and filthy slanders against Elizabeth； Burghley； Leicester； Essex （the elder）； Sidney； and every great and good man （never mind of which party） who then upheld the commonweal； bombastic attempts to terrify weak consciences； by denouncing endless fire against those who opposed the true faith； fulsome ascriptions of martyrdom and sanctity to every rebel and traitor who had been hanged for the last twenty years； wearisome arguments about the bull In Caena Domini； Elizabeth's excommunication； the nullity of English law； the sacred duty of rebellion； the right to kill a prince impenitently heretical； and the like insanities and villainies； which may be read at large in Camden； the Phoenix Britannicus； Fox's Martyrs； or； surest of all； in the writings of the worthies themselves。
With a gesture of disgust； Raleigh crammed the foul stuff back again into the pouch。 Taking it with them； they walked back to the company； and then remounting； marched away once more towards the lands of the Desmonds； and the girl was left alone with the dead。
An hour had passed； when another Englishman was standing by the wailing girl； and round him a dozen shockheaded kernes； skene on thigh and javelin in hand； were tossing about their tawny rags； and adding their lamentations to those of the lonely watcher。
The Englishman was Eustace Leigh； a layman st