him; and then I was
proud. But Erling has gone, father."

"A good man and steadfast," Sighard said. "I think that you and I
owe life to him and Wilfrid alike. It will be long before we forget
him, or before you find such another comrade and follower,
Wilfrid."

More there was said of him at that time, but not too much. I had
known him but a little while, but in that we had gone through peril
together with but one mind. It hardly seemed possible that it was
only a matter of six weeks since I took him from the Norwich
marketplace.

The thunder rolled round us while we talked of him, passing but
slowly, and the rain fell in sheets, washing away the more terrible
stains of war. Through it came back, unarmed and humbly, some of
the Mercians, begging truce wherein to take away their comrades,
and Kynan spoke to them. As we had reason to think, the whole
affair was the doing of Gymbert, so far as his men knew. Behind him
was the hand of Quendritha, of course, but of that they had heard
no more than that to take us would please her.

When the storm ended, with naught but a far-off mutter of thunder
among the hills beyond the Wye to mind us of it, I went out to find
Jefan. At that time there were folk from the Welsh woodlands coming
up to help in any way that was needed, for a fire on the highest
point of the ramparts was sending a tall smoke curling and wavering
into the air, and the meaning of that was well known to them. One
might see by the way in which they were tending the wounded and
digging two long trenches without the ramparts, where the slain
should rest presently, that such fights were no new thing to them
on the marches of Mercia.

Jefan the prince lay in a hut, and he smiled ruefully as I came in.
His ankle was broken, and the old priest had set it, skilfully
enough, but it would be many a long day before he could use it
again. He held out his hand to me before I could speak.

"Are you hurt?" he said anxiously.

I was not, save for a scratch or two of no account. More was Kynan,
and that was a wonder, or his luck, as he would have it. But Jefan
said, trying to laugh:

"I would that I might see just one bout of sword play betwixt you
two. I had held my brother as the best swordsman in all the West,
but I saw a better in the gate. There I must lie helpless, with a
Mercian across me moreover, and it was somewhat of a comfort that
there was that to watch. I had seen naught of it but for the fall."

So I h