n his crown which laid him flat on the footpath.

A cheer behind him at that moment caused the little man to look round,
when he found that the head of Gunrig's column, led by Arkal, had come
up just in time to witness the final blow.

They were still crowding round the fallen man, and asking hurried
questions about him, when a voice from the heights above hailed them.
Instantly a score or two of arrows were pointed in that direction.

"Hold your hands, men!" shouted Gunrig. "I know that voice--ay, and the
face too. Is it not the white beard of our friend the Hebrew that I
see?"

A few minutes more proved that he was right, for the well-known figure
of Beniah descended the sides of the pass.

The news he brought proved to be both surprising and perplexing, for up
to that moment Gunrig had been utterly ignorant of the recent arrival of
Gadarn from the far north in search of his lost daughter, though of
course he was well aware of the various unsuccessful efforts that had
been made by King Hudibras in that direction. Moreover, he chanced to
be not on the best of terms with Gadarn just at that time. Then the
fact that Bladud had recovered his health and was actively engaged in
the search--not, indeed, so much for Branwen as for a youth named
Cormac--was also surprising as well as disagreeable news to Gunrig.

"And who is this Cormac in whom the prince seems to be so interested?"
he asked.

Here poor Beniah, held fast by his solemn promise, was compelled to give
an evasive answer.

"All that I can tell about him," he replied, "is that he is a kind young
fellow to whose attention and nursing the prince thinks himself indebted
for his life. But had we not better question this young man?" he added,
turning to the scout. "I have heard rumours about robbers lurking
somewhere hereabouts--hence my coming out alone to scout the country
round, little dreaming that I should find the men of King Hudibras so
near."

"If robbers are said to be hereabouts," broke in Maikar at this point,
"I can tell you where to find them, I think, for I saw a band of men in
the hollow just beyond this pass."

"Say you so?" exclaimed Gunrig; "fetch the prisoner here."

The scout, who had recovered his senses by that time, was led forward,
but doggedly refused to give any information.

"Kindle a fire, men; we will roast him alive, and perhaps that will
teach him to speak."

It was by no means unusual for men in those days to use tort