own heart; so much as Elfhild was moved when it brake
forth from him, and she might, so to say, see the torments of him
before her very eyes. Indeed on one time, when for a long while she
might not comfort him, she told him that this was almost as bad as
seeing him laid a-dying before her.

But kind and dear they were to each other, and there was nought in
them that was not lovely in those first days of their manhood.

Chapter XXXII. Foemen Among the West Dalers

But when the spring was worn into April there fell new tidings: for on
a morning early came Stephen the Eater hurrying into the hall at
Wethermel and cried aloud: "Bows, bows! Come afield all ye of this
hall, and thou chiefly Osberne the Captain!"

Out then tumbled the stout men of Wethermel from shut-bed and hutch,
and were presently armed, and Osberne was in his byrny and steel hood
straightway, his bow in his hand and his quiver at his back.

They gathered about him and Stephen amidst of the hall, and then
Osberne asks what is toward. "Great matter enough," says Stephen. "Yet
how is to help therein? There is unpeace in the Dale, but it has
fallen on the Westerlings."

Quoth Osberne, short and sharp: "Ye, Otter, Simon, Longdeer, Alison,
take horse and ride straightway down the Dale and round to every
stead, and bid men gather to the side of the Flood with bows and
sling-spears and shot-weapons of all kinds, and that they stand not in
knots and clumps, but drawn out in line, and space enough between each
shooter. Bid them to leave not a shaft at home--we may speedily make
more--but not to loose once till they have marked their man. Now
hasten ye four! But ye others come after me at once, for we will go
afoot for the saving of time and the steadying of the shooting."

So they went toward the water, a dozen men all told, and all had bows
and good store of shafts. And as they went, Osberne spake to those
about him and said: "Spread out, and make little show of force, and
show not your bows to the foemen, so that they may contemn us and
venture the nearer to the bank. But shoot not till they defy us, lest
we smite a peaceful man." Now they were presently nigh enough to see
the going of men on the further shore, and they were all riders. It
was clear to see that they were aliens, men upon big horses clad in
outlandish armour with bright steel headpieces; they bore long spears
with light shafts, and a many of them had short horseman's bows and
quivers a