they turned his horse and spoke to him. And he threatened them with
his sword for a moment; but they were urgent, and at last he fled.
And I, knowing that if we could keep back the Danes but for a few
minutes longer he might escape, cried to what chiefs were left to
us, and we rallied on the hillside for a last stand.

Then my horse reared and fell back on me, and I heard a great
shout, and the rush of many feet passed over me, and Ashingdon
fight and aught else was lost in blackness.

Chapter 15: The Shadow Of Edric Streone.

"The man is dead," said a rough voice. "Let him bide."

"He is not," one answered. "He had nought to slay him. Here be
three flesh wounds only."

Then I began to come to myself, for water was being poured on my
face, and I opened my eyes and saw Thrand of Colchester looking at
me. My head was on his knee, and he had a helm full of water in his
hand. His own head and arm were bandaged, and the man who spoke to
him was passing on, seeking elsewhere. All that had happened came
back to me in a moment then, and my ears woke to the sounds round
me. I knew them only too well, for they were the awesome sounds of
the time after battle.

"Where is the king?" I said.

"Safe enough, they say," Thrand answered. "Is it well with you,
master?"

I sat up, and the maze passed from me. I had but been stunned by
the fall from my horse, and now seemed little the worse, save for
sickness and dull weight of weariness. I had been an hour or two
thus, as it would seem, for now the Danish host was gone, and only
a few men sought for friends on that hillside, as Thrand had sought
for me. My horse was dead, slain by the spear thrust that made him
rear. It was that one which Earl Wulfnoth gave me when I left him.

"I shall be myself again directly," I said. "How has it all ended?
I thought I saw you slain."

"The Danes are chasing our men towards yon village," he said grimly
pointing towards Hockley. "They will not catch the king, however.
They smote me badly enough when I tried to be revenged on Streone,
and they slew Guthorm; but they only stunned me."

"Go hence before Streone catches you," said I.

"Not I," said Thrand. "He knows me not, and I shall wait for
another chance. The Danes think me a Mercian, and so I bide with
you. Can you fly now, master?"

I tried to rise, but I was weak and shaken, and sank down again. I
was not fit for walking even yet.

"I must wait," I said.

"There are stray