about noon
This was an occupation so ordinary for him , that it excited no particular notice . These manoeuvres were frequently undertaken by the warlike marchers , for the purpose of intimidating the Welsh , in general , more especially the bands of outlaws , who , independent of any regular government , infested these wild frontiers . Yet it escaped not comment , that , in undertaking such service at this moment , Damian seemed to abandon that of dispersing the insurgents , which had been considered as the chief object of the day . It was about noon , when , falling in , as good fortune would have it , with one of the fugitive grooms , Damian and his immediate attendants received information of the violence committed on the Lady Eveline , and , by their perfect knowledge of the country , wore able to intercept the ruffians at the Pass of Edris , as it was called , by which the Welsh rovers ordinarily returned to their strongholds in the interior . It is probable that the banditti were not aware of the small force which Damian headed in person , and at the same time knew that there would be an immediate and hot pursuit in their rear ; and these circumstances led their leader to adopt the singular expedient of hiding Eveline in the tomb , while one of their own number , dressed in her clothes , might serve as a decoy to deceive their assailants , and lead them , from the spot where she was really concealed , to which it was no doubt the purpose of the banditti to return , when they had eluded their pursuers . Accordingly , the robbers had already drawn up before the tomb for the purpose of regularly retreating , until they should find some suitable place either for making a stand , or where , if overmatched , they might , by abandoning their horses , and dispersing among the rocks , evade the attack of the Norman cavalry . Their plan had been defeated by the precipitation of Damian , who , beholding as he thought the plumes and mantle of the Lady Eveline in the rear of the party , charged them without considering either the odds of numbers , or the lightness of his own armour , which , consisting only of a headpiece and a buff surcoat , offered but imperfect resistance to the Welsh knives and glaives .