turn home till late, and he started and
turned pale when he saw Morven. But Morven greeted him as a brother, and
bade him to a feast, which, for the first time, he purposed giving at
the full of the moon, in honour of the stars. And going out of Darvan's
chamber he returned to his wife, and bade her rend her hair, and go
at the dawn of day to the king her brother, and complain bitterly of
Morven's treatment, and pluck the black plans from the breast of the
king. "For surely," said he, "Darvan hath lied to thy brother, and some
evil waits me that I would fain know."

So the next morning Orna sought the king, and she said, "The herdsman's
son hath reviled me, and spoken harsh words to me; shall I not be
avenged?"

Then the king stamped his feet and shook his mighty sword. "Surely thou
shalt be avenged; for I have learned from one of the elders that which
convinceth me that the man hath lied to the people, and the base-born
shall surely die. Yea, the first time that he goeth alone into the
forest my brother and I will fall upon him and smite him to the death."
And with this comfort Siror dismissed Orna.

And Orna flung herself at the feet of her husband. "Fly now, O my
beloved!--fly into the forests afar from my brethren, or surely the
sword of Siror will end thy days."

Then the son of Osslah folded his arms, and seemed buried in black
thoughts; nor did he heed the voice of Orna, until again and again she
had implored him to fly.

"Fly!" he said at length. "Nay, I was doubting what punishment the stars
should pour down upon our foe. Let warriors fly. Morven the prophet
conquers by arms mightier than the sword."

Nevertheless Morven was perplexed in his mind, and knew not how to
save himself from the vengeance of the king. Now, while he was musing
hopelessly he heard a roar of waters; and behold, the river, for it was
now the end of autumn, had burst its bounds, and was rushing along the
valley to the houses of the city. And now the men of the tribe, and the
women, and the children, came running, and with shrieks, to Morven's
house, crying, "Behold, the river has burst upon us! Save us, O ruler of
the stars!"

Then the sudden thought broke upon Morven, and he resolved to risk his
fate upon one desperate scheme.

And he came out from the house calm and sad, and he said, "Ye know not
what ye ask; I cannot save ye from this peril: ye have brought it on
yourselves." And they cried, "How? O son of Osslah! We are ignor