. Comes a knock on
the door, and the carline goes thereto, and is followed back into the
chamber by a tall man, clad neither as one of our country-side nor as
a warrior, but in a long black gown with furred edges. He had no
weapons save a short sword and a whittle in his girdle; he was not
ill-looked, black-bearded and ruddy-faced, and seemed strong-built, a
man of about five and forty winters. He hailed us courteously, and
asked if he might abide with us till morning, and we naysaid him not,
if he might do with such cheer as we might make him. He smiled and
said any cheer was better worth to him that the desert as at that
time: and he said withal that he had a way-beast without who was as
weary as was he; and, says he, there is a pair of saddle-bags on him,
which many would not deem overmuch of a burden, if they had not very
far to carry it.

"So I went out a-doors with him to see after his nag and saddle-bags;
and I led the horse into the same stall where was winter quarters for
our two horses; but this was a very big stark beast, grey of colour,
such as we have not in this land; and I gave him hay and barley, but
the saddle-bags he brought back with him into the chamber. And he kept
ever by my side on the way there and back, and looked at me oft in the
failing light, though I was but in my sorry old raiment with bare
feet, in such guise as thou hast not seen me for years, my dear.
Howsoever, I heeded it not at the time, and we both came back into the
chamber, where Dame Anna had now lighted the candles. Shortly to say,
we put what meat and drink we might before our guest, and he seemed
well content therewith; and he was merry with us, and showed himself a
man of many words deftly strung together, and spared not to tell us
many things about tidings of far and noble countries, and the ways of
men both great and small therein. And he said that he was a chapman
journeying after gain, and looked to buy wares in the Dale, and
therewith he asked us if we had aught to sell him, but Anna laughed
and said: 'Fair sir, were ye to buy all this and all that is in it,
from groundsell to roofridge, and all our kine and sheep and horses to
boot, little would the tide of gold ebb in thy bags yonder.' 'I wot
not,' said he; 'who may say what treasure ye have been hoarding here
this long while?' He looked on me as he spake, and I reddened and
looked down, for in my heart I was thinking of the pipe and the gemmed
necklace which the Dwarf