"We have beaten the wood as if for a hare," said the third. "Unless she has climbed a tree she is not there."
"Well, then, look in the trees," said the mailed man, and with that he came down to the water, and turned his face toward us.
It was Gymbert himself.
"Mayhap she has drowned herself," said one of the men sullenly.
Gymbert growled somewhat, and turned sharply, going back to the wood. The other men looked after him, and one chuckled.
"Best thing she could do," he said. "Gymbert would surely have sold her to the Welsh."
"Maybe made her his own slave, which were worse."
"No, but he is out of favour just now. The money she would fetch will be more to him maybe. He dare not let Offa see him."
They turned away slowly. At least it did not seem that these two were much in earnest in the matter. As they went, one asked the other who cried the chase back after all.
"Some fool on the other side who doesn't care to own to it now, seeing that he must have fancied he saw her," was the answer.