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stood up and sang: From the Wethermel reek I set me to seek The world-ways unkenned And the first of the end. For when out there I be Each way unto me Shall seem nought save it lead Back to Wethermel's need, And many a twilight twixt dawning and day Shall the feet of the waker dream wending the way. When the war-gale speeds Point-bitter reeds, And the edges flash O'er the war-board's clash, Through the battle's rent Shall I see the bent, And the gable's peace Midst the Dale's increase, And the victory-whooping shall seem to me oft As the Dale shepherd's cry where the reek wends aloft. When to right and left The ranks are cleft, And the edges wan Mate master and man, It shall be as the fall Of a hindering wall Twixt my blade and me And the garth on the lea; So shall day unto day tell the hope of the year, And season on season shall draw the Dale near. This they deemed kindly sung and well; and now so high rose their hearts, that it was to them as if they saw the day of his returning and the gladness of fellowship renewed. Chapter XXXVIII. Osberne Parts from Stephen the Eater The next morning Osberne went his way riding on a good horse, and not without treasure in his scrip. He was girt to Boardcleaver and had the wonder-bow and shafts with him; but the byrny, Hardcastle's Loom, he left behind, and had but a white basnet on his head, for he deemed that his friend Sir Medard would purvey him of armour. All the household were without in the garth to see him off, but none went further with him save Stephen the Eater, who rode with him as far as the bent, and closely and lovingly they spake together on the way. But when they were come to the crown of the bent Osberne drew rein and said: "Now, my friend, shalt thou turn about and let me go my ways." And they turned about both and looked down on Wethermel, and Stephen cast his arm abroad and spake: "Best-beloved of all men, how long deemest thou it shall be ere thou seest this again?" "I wot not," said Osberne; "I am in the hands of Weird, to wend as she will have me: but I will tell thee that I have hoped and prayed that it might be in no longer space than five years; then shall I be of twenty years and three, and she but a few weeks younger, and manhood and womanhood and due service of the kindred shall lie before us both if I find he
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