Helookedatherhardasshespake，andnotedthatshespakebutslowly，andturnedredandwhiteandredagainasshelookedathim。
　　Butwhatevershedid，andinspiteofherpoorattire，hedeemedhehadneverseenwomansofair。Herhairwasdarkred，buthereyesgrey，andlightatwhilesandyetatwhilesdeep；herlipsbetwixtthinandfull，butyetwhenshespokeorsmiledcladwithallenticements；
　　herchinroundandsowroughtasnonewaseverbetterwrought；
　　herbodystrongandwell-knit；tallshewas，withfairandlargearms，andlimbsmostgoodlyoffashion，ofwhichbutlittlewashidden，sincehercoatwasbutthinandscanty。Butwhatevermaybesaidofher，nomanwouldhavedeemedheraughtsavemostlovely。
　　Nowherfacegrewcalmandstatelyagainasitwasatthefirst，andshelaidahandonRalph’sshoulder，andsmiledinhisfaceandsaid：
　　“Surelythouartfair，thoughthystrokesbenotlight。”
　　Thenshetookhishandandcaressedit，andsaidagain：
　　“Dostthoudeemthatthouhastdonegreatthings，fairchild？Maybe。Yetsomewillsaythatthouhastbutslaintwobutchers：andifthouwiltsaythatthouhastdeliveredme；
　　yetitmaybethatIshouldhavedeliveredmyselferelong。
　　Neverthelessholdupthineheart，forIthinkthatgreaterthingsawaitthee。”
　　Thensheturnedabout，andsawthedeadman，howhisfeetyethunginthestirrupsashisfellow’shaddone，savethatthehorseofthisonestoodnighstill，onlyreachinghisheaddowntocropamouthfulofgrass；soshesaid：
　　“Takehimaway，thatImaymountonhishorse。”
　　Sohedrewthedeadman’sfeetoutofthestirrups，anddraggedhimawaytowherethebrackengrewdeep，andlaidhimdownthere，sotosayhidden。Thenheturnedbacktothelady，whowaspacingupanddownnearthehorseasthebeastfedquietlyonthecoolgrass。
　　WhenRalphcamebackshetookthereinsinherhandandputonefootinthestirrupasifshewouldmountatonce；butsuddenlylighteddownagain，andturningtoRalph，castherarmsabouthim，andkissedhisfacemanytimes，blushingredasarosemeantime。
　　Thenlightlyshegatherupintothesaddle，andbestrodethebeast，andsmotehisflankswithherheels，andwentherwaysridingspeedilytowardthesouth-east，sothatshewassoonoutofsight。
　　ButRalphstoodstilllookingthewayshehadgoneandwonderingattheadventure；andheponderedherwordsandhelddebatewithhimselfwhetherheshouldtaketheroadshebadehim。Andhesaidwithinhimself：
　　“HithertohaveIbeensafeandhavegotnoscratchofaweaponuponme，andthisisaplacebyseemingforalladventures；andlittlewaymoreovershallImakeinthenightifImustneedsgotoHamptonunderScaur，wheredwellthosepeaceablepeople；anditisnowgrowingduskalready。
　　SoIwillabidethemorninghereby；butIwillbewaryandletthewoodcovermeifImay。”
　　Therewithhewentanddrewthebodyoftheslainmandownintoalittlehollowwherethebrackenwashighandthebramblesgrewstrong，sothatitmightnotbelightlyseen。ThenhecalledtohimFalcon，hishorse，andlookedaboutforcoveranighthewant-way，andfoundalittlethincoppiceofhazelandsweetchestnut，justwheretwogreatoakshadbeenfelledahalfscoreyearsago；andlookingthroughtheleavesthence，hecouldseethefourwaysclearlyenough，thoughitwouldnotbeeasyforanyonetoseehimthence。
　　Thitherhebetookhim，andhedidthereinoffFalcon，buttetheredhimbyahalterinthethickestofthecopse，andsatdownhimselfnighertotheoutsidethereof；hedidoffhishelmanddrewwhatmeathehadfromouthiswalletandateanddrankinthebeginningofthesummernight；andthensatponderingawhileonwhathadbefallenonthisseconddayofhiswandering。
　　Themoonshoneoutpresently，littleclouded，buthesawhernot，forthoughhestrovetowakeawhile，slumbersoonovercamehim，andnothingwakedhimtillthenightwaspassing，nordidheseeaughtofthatcompanyofwhichtheladyhadspoken，andwhichinsoothcamenot。
　　AMeetingandaPartingintheWoodPerilousWhenthefirstglimmerofdawnwasintheskyheawokeinthefreshmorning，andsatupandhearkened，forevenashewokehehadheardsomething，sincewarinesshadmadehimwakeful。
　　Nowhehearsthesoundofhorse-hoofsonthehardroad，andrisethtohisfeetandgoethtotheveryedgeofthecopse；
　　lookingthencehesawariderwhowasjustcometotheverycrossingoftheroads。Thenewcomerwasmuchmuffledinawidecloak，butheseemedtobeamanlowofstature。
　　Hepeeredallroundabouthimasiftoseeifthewaywereclear，andthenalighteddownfromhorsebackandletthehoodfalloffhishead，andseemedponderingwhichwaywerethebesttotake。
　　BythistimeitwasgrownsomewhatlighterandRalph，lookinghard，deemedthattheriderwasawoman；sohesteppedforwardlightly，andashecameontotheopenswardabouttheway，thenewcomersawhimandputafootintothestirruptomount，butyetlookedathimovertheshoulder，andthenpresentlyleftthesaddleandcameforwardafewstepsasiftomeetRalph，havingcastthecloaktotheground。
　　ThenRalphsawthatitwasnoneotherthanthedamselofthehostelryofBourtonAbbas，andhecameuptoherandreachedouthishandtoher，andshetookitinbothhersandhelditandsaid，smiling：
　　“Itisnoughtsavemountainsthatshallnevermeet。HerehaveIfollowedonthyfootsteps；yetknewInotwherethouwouldstbeintheforest。
　　AndnowIamgladtohavefalleninwiththee；forIamgoingalongway。”
　　Ralphlookedonherandhimseemedsomepainorshametouchedhisheart，andhesaid：“Iamaknightadventurous；Ihavenoughttodosavetoseekadventures。WhyshouldInotgowiththee？”
　　Shelookedathimearnestlyawhileandsaid：“Nay，itmaynotbe；thouartalord’sson，andIayeoman’sdaughter。”
　　Shestopped，andhesaidnothinginanswer。
　　“Furthermore。”saidshe，“itisalongway，andIknownothowlong。”
　　Againhemadenoanswer，andshesaid：“IamgoingtoseektheWELLAT
　　THEWORLD’SEND，andtofinditandlive，ortofinditnot，anddie。”
　　Hespakeafterawhile：“WhyshouldInotcomewiththee？”
　　Itwasgrowinglightnow，andhecouldseethatshereddenedandthenturnedpaleandsetherlipsclose。
　　Thenshesaid：“Becausethouwillestitnot：becausethouhadstliefermakethatjourneywithsomeoneelse。”
　　Hereddenedinhisturn，andsaid：“Iknowofnooneelsewhoshallgowithme。”
　　“Well。”shesaid，“itisallone，Iwillnothavetheegowithme。”
　　“Yea，andwhynot？”saidhe。Shesaid：“WiltthousweartomethatnoughthathhappedtotheetochangetheebetwixtthisandBourton？
　　Ifthouwilt，thencomewithme；ifthouwiltnot，thenrefrainthee。
　　AndthisIsaybecauseIseeandfeelthatthereissomechangeintheesinceyesterday，sothatthouwouldstscarcebedealingtrulyinbeingmyfellowinthisquest：fortheythattakeitupmustbesingle-hearted，andthinkofnoughtsavethequestandthefellowthatiswiththem。”
　　Shelookedonhimsadly，andhismanythoughtstongue-tiedhimawhile；
　　butatlasthesaid：“Mustthouverilygoonthisquest？”
　　“Ah。”shesaid，“nowsinceIhaveseentheeandspokenwiththeeagain，allneedthereisthatIshouldfollowitatonce。”
　　Thentheybothkeptsilence，andwhenshespokeagainhervoicewasasifsheweregayagainstherwill。Shesaid：
　　“HereamIcometothesewant-ways，andtherearethreeroadsbesidestheoneIcameby，andIwotthatthisthatgoethsouthwillbringmetotheBurgoftheFourFriths；andsomuchI
　　knowofthefolkofthesaidBurgthattheywouldmockatmeifIaskedthemofthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEnd。
　　AndasforthewesternwayIdeemthatthatwillleadmebackagaintothepeopledpartswhereofIknow；thereforeIammindedtotaketheeasternway。Whatsayestthou，fairlord？”
　　SaidRalph：“IhaveheardoflatethatitleadethpresentlytoHamptonundertheScaur，wheredwellethapeopleofgoodwill。”
　　“Whotoldtheethistale？”saidshe。Ralphanswered，reddeningagain，“Iwastoldbyonewhoseemedtoknowbothofthatfolk，andoftheBurgoftheFourFriths，andshesaidthatthefolkofHamptonwereagoodfolk，andthattheyoftheBurgwereevil。”
　　Thedamselsmiledsadlywhensheheardhimsay’She，’andwhenhehaddoneshesaid：“AndIhaveheard，andnotfromyesterday，thatatHamptondwelleththeFellowshipoftheDryTree，andthatthoseofthefellowshiparerobbersandreivers。
　　Neverthelesstheywillperchancebelittleworsethantheothers；
　　andthetaletellsthatthewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEndisbytheDryTree；sothitherwillIatalladventure。
　　AndnowwillIsayfarewelltothee，foritismostlikethatI
　　shallnotseetheeagain。”
　　“O，maiden！”saidRalph，“whywiltthounotgobacktoBourtonAbbas？
　　ThereImightsoonmeettheeagain，andyet，indeed，IalsoamliketogotoHampton。ShallInotseetheethere？”
　　Sheshookherheadandsaid：“Nay，sinceImustgosofar，Ishallnottarry；and，soothtosay，ifIsawtheecominginatonegateIshouldgooutbytheother，forwhyshouldIdallywithagriefthatmaynotbeamended。
　　ForindeedIwotthatthoushaltsoonforgettowishtoseeme，eitheratBourtonAbbasorelsewhere；soIwillsaynomorethanonceagainfarewell。”
　　Thenshecameclosetohimandputherhandsonhisshouldersandkissedhismouth；andthensheturnedawayswiftly，caughtuphercloak，andgatlightlyintothesaddle，andsoshookherreinsandrodeawayeasttowardHampton，andleftRalphstandingtheredowncastandponderingmanythings。
　　Itwasstillsoearlyinthesummermorning，andheknewsolittlewhattodo，thatpresentlyheturnedandwalkedbacktohislairamongstthehazels，andtherehelaydown，andhisthoughtsbythenwereallgonebackagaintothelovelyladywhomhehaddelivered，andhewonderedifheshouldeverseeheragain，and，soothtosay，hesorelydesiredtoseeher。
　　Amidstsuchthoughtshefellasleepagain，forthenightyetowedhimsomethingofrest，soyoungashewasandsohardashehadtoiled，bothbodyandmind，duringthepastday。
　　NowMustRalphRideForItWhenheawokeagainthesunwasshiningthroughthehazelleaves，thoughitwasyetearly；hearoseandlookedtohishorse，andledhimoutofthehazelcopseandstoodandlookedabouthim；andlo！amancomingslowlythroughthewoodonRalph’srighthand，andmakingasitseemedforthewant-way；
　　hesawRalphpresently，andstopped，andbentabowwhichheheldinhishand，andthencametowardshimwarily，withthearrownocked。
　　ButRalphwenttomeethimwithhisswordinhissheath，andleadingFalconbytherein，andthemanstoppedandtooktheshaftfromthestring：
　　hehadnoarmour，buttherewasalittleaxeandawood-knifeinhisgirdle；
　　hewascladinhomespun，andlookedlikeacarleofthecountry-side。
　　NowhegreetedRalph，andRalphgavehimtheseleoftheday，andsawthatthenew-comerwasbothtallandstrong，darkofskinandblack-haired，butofacheerfulcountenance。HespakefrankandfreetoRalph，andsaid：
　　“Whitheraway，lord，outofthewoodlandhall，andthedwellingofdeerandstrong-thieves？Iwouldthatthedeerwouldchoosethemacaptain，andgatherheadanddestroythethieves——andsomefewotherswiththem。”
　　SaidRalph：“ImayscarcetelltheetillIknowmyself。
　　AwhileagoIwasmindedfortheBurgoftheFourFriths；
　　butnowIamforHamptonunderScaur。”
　　“Yea？”saidthecarle，“whentheDevildrives，tohellmustwe。”
　　“Whatmeanestthou，goodfellow？”saidRalph，“IsHamptonthensoevilanabode？”Andindeeditwasinhismindthattheadventureoftheladyledcaptiveboresomeevilwithit。
　　Saidthecarle：“IfthouwertnotastrangerinthesepartsI
　　neednottoanswerthyquestion；butIwillansweritpresently，yetnottillwehaveeaten，forIhunger，andhaveinthiswalletbothbreadandcheese，andthouartwelcometoasharethereof，ifthouhungerestalso，asismostlike，whereasthouartyoungandfreshcoloured。”
　　“Soitis。”saidRalph，laughing，“andIalsomayhelptospreadthistableinthewilderness，sincethereareyetsomecrumbsinmywallet。
　　Letussitdownandfalltoatonce。”
　　“Byyourleave，SirGentleman。”saidthecarle，“wewillgoafewyardsfurtheron，wherethereisawoodlandbrook，whereofwemaydrinkwhenmybottlefaileth。”