tric," answered the
thane. "They have not been so bold since then; and the small fights
I have had with them have not been so fierce that I must fetch you
from Bosham to my help."

"Evil times make them bold," said the earl. "How many are there in
this band?"

"Enough to sack the Penhurst miners' village," the thane said. "Men
say that there are Danes among them; and I know that there are men
who are well armed beyond the wont of outlaws and forest dwellers."

Then Wulfnoth called to us:

"See here, King Olaf, this is your fault; you have driven the Danes
out of Kent into our forests, and now we have trouble enough on our
hands."

"Then, Earl Wulfnoth," answered Olaf, "my men and I will fight them
here again."

But when we drew near I was fain to look on one of the two ladies
who still sat on their horses waiting for the earl's pleasure. One
was Relf the thane's wife, and the other his daughter; and it was
in my mind that I had never seen so beautiful a maiden as this was.
It seemed to me that I could willingly give my life in battle
against those who had harmed her home, if she might know that I did
so.

But the thane was telling Olaf that there must be some three
hundred of the outlaws and others.

"I had forty-two men yesterday, and I have but twenty with me now,"
said he.

"Then you fought?" asked Wulfnoth.

"Aye," answered the thane shortly, for it was plain enough that he
had done so.

"Have they burnt your house?"

"Not when I left. They are mostly strangers to the land, and they
bide where there is ale and plunder, in the old Penhurst village at
the valley's head."

"Then," said Olaf, "let us march at once and save the thane's
hall."

"That is well said," answered the earl, rubbing his hands with
glee. "We will make a full end; there will be no more trouble for
many a year to come."

Then he bethought him of the two ladies, and he called his steward
and bade him take them in. At which, when they would dismount, I
went to help the maiden, and was pleased that she thanked me for
the little trouble, looking at me shyly. I think that I had not
heard a more pleasant voice than hers, or so it seemed to me at the
time. She went into the house with her mother, and I was left with
a remembrance of her words that bided with me; and I called myself
foolish for thinking twice of the meeting.

Then the earl and Olaf and Relf began to speak of the best way in
which to deal with these plunderers; and