be wheedled by her or
not. But come, to horse both of you! for time presses."

So the two women were set a-horseback, and they men rode with a good
pace out of the Dale toward the fells at the back thereof; and if at
any time the women thought of turning rein and riding off, they had
but to look at the men, how they were horsed, for their way-beasts
were mighty strong steeds of good race, but the women were set on
everyday nags, such as be seen on any highway.

After a while they came on to the broken ground at the foot of the
fells, and all must needs ride slower; and then the Carline came
sidling up to the Maiden, and saw how wan and woebegone was her face,
and asked what ailed her; and she answered faintly at first, and then
clearer and louder: "It is because I am thinking of him and his woe;
and I wot well that now, so soon as the battle is over, there shall he
stand yet and look over the Flood on to the field of deed, as if he
were seeking after me dead among the corpses of the foe. And tomorrow
he shall come down to the water's edge while the dead yet lie there,
and stand looking to see if I be not coming to meet him, as now I have
been wont so many years. And the morrow of that morrow will he come,
yea, and many a morrow, till his heart shall be outworn with longing
and grief, and he will go away out of the Dale to escape from his
sorrow, and shall nowise escape it. Ah, and how shall I know whither
he will wend, or the place of the shifting dwelling of his wanderings?
And I, and I, I wend away from him."

Sore grieved was the Carline at her grief, and she said: "O my child,
I pray thee keep up a good heart within thee, lest thou die of sorrow,
and endure not the chances of the meeting. Who knows whether thou be
wending away from him? Nay, to my mind thou art wending toward him,
and he to thee; for never had ye come together hadst thou abided in
thine old home and he in his."

But the Maiden wept. But therewith rode along by them one of the men,
and smote the Carline on the shoulders with his spear-staff, and bade
her hold her peace, and not go on like a crazy hen.

So they rode their ways till they had passed the straiter part of the
pass that led through the fells, and there night began to fall on them
(it was April-tide in those days); so the men-at-arms chose a place
where was grass and water and three thick thorn-bushes, and made their
harbour there. They took some pains to dight a shelter for the Maiden