d from the gateway. I bade the old man call his
folk together, and I told them to fly. Many were already gone, now
others went at once.

But a few stayed, and to them I said like words as to Leof.

"Hither will the Danes come presently, but in no great force. We
may beat them back, and if we do, then maybe the bishop will fly.
But we shall more likely die with him."

"Let us stand by him, come what will," they answered me in steady
voices; "better to die with him and our king."

They took their arms and gave me a sword, and we left the horses in
the stable, for we might even yet need them. I thought that we
could maybe, as I said, beat off the first few Danes, and then
that, to save further bloodshed, the bishop would go with us. And
if not, we had done our best.

Five men came with me to the ford. When we were at the other side
there were but four. One had gone back, and I did not blame him.
Leof sat in the little porch, and so we six went into the church
together. The bishop sat where I had left him, but he raised his
head when we came up the aisle.

"Nay, my sons," he said, "you must fly. Maybe these men will
respect an old man like myself and lonely."

Then I said:

"Father, we would have you say mass for us ere the light comes
again."

Now it wanted about an hour to midnight.

"Is there yet time?" he said.

Then I answered that I thought we might wait in peace for so long,
and he, knowing nothing of the nearness of the Danes, consented. So
we bided there in the aisle benches to wait till midnight was past,
and soon one or two of the men slept quietly.

Now, when it may have been almost midnight, and the time for mass
would soon be come, the bishop, who had been so still that I
thought he slept, lifted his head and looked towards the altar. And
at the same time my dog whined a little beside me.

Then Humbert the Bishop rose up and held out both his hands as to
one whom he would greet, and spoke softly.

"Aye, Eadmund, I am coming. Soon shall I be with you."

So he stood for a little while very still, and then went to his
place again.

Then Leof, who sat next to me, said, whispering:

"Saw you aught, master?"

"I saw nothing, but surely the bishop had a vision."

"I myself saw Eadmund the king stand before the bishop, and he had
a wondrous crown on his head," said Leof, speaking as though of
somewhat not terrible, but good to think on.

"I also saw him," said the old steward from behind me