Page:The Children Who Followed the Piper.djvu/176

THE CHILDREN stopped in the dance and she drew herself from the dancers. But before she drew away John Ball saw what was on her lips—something redder than her lips' redness.

He went to where she stood. He was beside her before Valentine. He kissed her on the lips, and the redness that was above their redness was taken off on his lips. Then he turned around and he saw all the courtiers standing there with scoffing eyes.

Then Valentine was standing facing him. "John Ball," he said, "you slew my horse and you burned the dress that my father would have given my bride. And now you have kissed her on the lips before all the courtiers as if she, and you, and I, all had one tie between us. You have made my bride seem mean in the eyes of all here. John Ball, John Ball, we were three together for a long while, but now I do not know what thoughts you had of Golden Hood all the time we three were together. I do not know you, John Ball. Take gold and silver for the help