e his friend
Steelhead, in such guise as he had first beheld him there: which was
in sooth the very thing which he desired.

So Osberne stood up to greet him and Steelhead came to him and put his
arms about him and kissed and embraced him, and Osberne wept for pity
and hope of his life. Then said Steelhead: "I know why thou art come
to me; a while agone I laid my hands upon thee that I might make thy
body stark for all adventure, and now thou wouldst have me do the like
for the soul of thee. Herein will I do what I may, but first we will
eat of the increase of Wethermel, that thou mayest see how much I love
thee and the land that bred thee."

So Osberne bestirred him, and kindled the cooking-fire and made ready
the meat, and they ate together in all content and friendliness. But
when they were full Steelhead spake: "Now whether wouldst thou be
silent thereof, knowing that I know it without words spoken?"

Quoth Osberne: "I would tell it."

"There is yet time," said Steelhead, smiling kindly on him, "so make
no tarrying."

The Osberne began straightway, and spared not words overmuch, but
herein he used the most when he told of Elfhild, what she was like in
those latter days, and how his heart enfolded her, and how sweet was
her converse with him; and when he was done Steelhead said: "What is
in thy mind concerning dwelling in the Dale amidst thine own folk?"
Said Osberne: "My mind it is to live and die here, and do all that is
due to the folk of my fathers." Said Steelhead: "Then thou must be
healed of this trouble; that is, thou must forget thy love and thy
longing, or at the least thou must think more of other matters than of
this. For I will not have it that thou my fosterling shouldst be a
kill-joy among men of the kindred; wherefore ill-luck will come of
it."

Said Osberne, knitting his brows: "I will not be healed in this way.
For do I not know that she also is wrapped in sorrow and tormented by
longing. Shall I leave her, therefore, as the dastard leaves a wounded
friend before the oncoming foeman?"

Steelhead smiled on him. Quoth he: "Thou wilt not be healed? So be it;
then mayst thou not abide in the Dale amongst the kindred, but carry
thy trouble to the lands of the aliens, where there is none to
remember the joyous face of thee before the trouble was."

"This may I do," said Osberne, "and even so it shall be since it is
thy will. But hast nought else to say to enhearten me in my travel?"

"This I h