aring his new spear,
and girt with his sword. Now there was a grove of chestnuts betwixt
him and the river, but on the other side of them naught but the green
grass down to the water's edge.

Sure enough as he came under the trees he heard a shrill cry, and knew
that it could be naught save Ursula; so he ran thitherward whence came
the cry, shouting as he ran, and was scarce come out of the trees ere
he saw Ursula indeed, mother-naked, held in chase by a huge bear as big
as a bullock: he shouted again and ran the faster; but even therewith,
whether she heard and saw him, and hoped for timely help, or whether
she felt her legs failing her, she turned on the bear, and Ralph saw
that she had a little axe in her hand wherewith she smote hardily at
the beast; but he, after the fashion of his kind, having risen to his
hind legs, fenced with his great paws like a boxer, and smote the axe
out of her hand, and she cried out bitterly and swerved from him and
fell a running again; but the bear tarried not, and would have caught
her in a few turns; but even therewith was Ralph come up, who thrust
the beast into the side with his long-headed spear, and not waiting to
pull it out again, drew sword in a twinkling, and smote a fore-paw off
him and then drave the sword in over the shoulder so happily that it
reached his heart, and he fell over dead with a mighty thump.

Then Ralph looked around for Ursula; but she had already run back to
the river-side and was casting her raiment on her; so he awaited her
beside the slain bear, but with drawn sword, lest the other bear should
come upon them; for this was the he-bear. Howbeit he saw naught save
presently Ursula all clad and coming towards him speedily; so he turned
toward her, and when they met he cast himself upon her without a word,
and kissed her greedily; and she forbore not at all, but kissed and
caressed him as if she could never be satisfied.

So at last they drew apart a little, and walked quietly toward the
rock-house hand in hand. And on the way she told him that even as she
came up on to the bank from the water she saw the bear coming down on
her as fast as he could drive, and so she but caught up her axe, and
ran for it: "Yet I had little hope, dear friend," she said, "but that
thou shouldst be left alone in the wilderness." And therewith she
turned on him and cast her arms about him again, all weeping for joy of
their two lives.

Thus slowly they came before the door