"Lend me your knife," said she to Martin. He gave it to her.
"But 'twill be little use in your hands," said he.
SUDDENLY A HUGE DOG BURST OUT OF THE COPPICE
Then Margaret did a sly thing. She stepped behind Gerard, and furtively drew the knife across her arm, and made it bleed freely: then stooping, smeared her hose and shoes: and still as the blood trickled she smeared them: but so adroitly that neither Gerard nor Martin saw. Then she seized the soldier's arm.
"Come be a man," said she "and let this end. Take us to some thick place, where numbers will not avail our foes."
"I am going," said Martin sulkily. "Hurry avails not: we cannot shun the hound, and the place is hard by;" then turning to the left, he led the way, as men go to execution.
He soon brought them to a thick hazel coppice, like the one that had favoured their escape in the morning.
"There," said he, "this is but a furlong broad, but it will serve our turn."
"What are we to do?"