Presently they met one of the mounted retainers riding at headlong speed.

“Have you heard or seen anything,” he shouted, as he approached, “of the Lady Margaret?  She is missing, and foul play has taken place.”

“Here I am, Rudolph,” cried the child, sitting up on the rude litter.

The horseman gave a cry of astonishment and pleasure, and without a word wheeled his horse and galloped past back at headlong speed toward the castle.

As Cuthbert and the party approached the gate the earl himself, surrounded by his knights and followers, rode out hastily from the gate and halted in front of the little party.  The litter was lowered, and as he dismounted from his horse his daughter sprang out and leaped into his arms.

For a few minutes the confusion and babble of tongues were too great for anything to be heard, but Cuthbert, as soon as order was somewhat restored, stated what had happened, and the earl was moved to fury at the news of the outrage which had been perpetrated by the Baron of Wortham upon his daughter and at the very gates of his castle, and also at the thought that she should have been saved by the bravery and devotion of the very men against whom he had so lately been vowing vengeance in the depths of the forest.

“This is not a time,” he said to Cnut, “for talk or making promises, but be assured that henceforth the deer of Evesham Chase are as free to you and your men as to me.  Forest laws or no forest laws, I will no more lift a hand against men to whom I owe so much.  Come when you will to the castle, my friends, and let us talk over what can be done to raise your outlawry and restore you to an honest career again.”

Cuthbert returned home tired, but delighted with his day’s work, and Dame Editha was surprised indeed with the tale of adventure he had to tell.  The next morning he went over to the castle, and heard that a grand council had been held the evening before, and that it had been determined to attack Wortham Castle and to raze it to the ground.

Immediately on hearing of his arrival, the earl, after again expressing his gratitude for the rescue of his daughter, asked him if he would go into the forest and invite the outlaws to join their forces with those of the castle to attack the baron.

Cuthbert willingly undertook the mission, as he felt that this alliance would further strengthen the position of the forest men.

When he arrived there was some considerable consultation and discussion between the outlaws as to the expediency of mixing themselves in the quarrels between the Norman barons.  However, Cnut persuaded them that as the Baron of Wortham was an enemy and oppressor of all Saxons, it was in fact their own quarrel that they were fighting rather than that of the earl, and they therefore agreed to give their aid, and promised to be at the rendezvous outside the castle to be attacked soon after dawn next morning.  Cuthbert returned with the news which gave great satisfaction to the earl.