and at such
times the Sundering Flood seemed to him like the coils of a deadly
serpent which was strangling the life out of him, and he would wend
home in all despair.

So wore the days through spring and summer and early autumn, and at
Wethermel all went smoothly, and the goodman there was better pleased
than ever with his new man, who, if he ate two men's victuals, did
three men's work; as for Osberne, he loved Stephen dearly, and Stephen
for his part was for ever doing something for his disport, and in two
ways in special. For first he was, like Elfhild, stuffed with all
kinds of tales and histories, and oft when they were out a-shepherding
he would tell these to Osberne day-long; and not unseldom when the
tale was underway the lad would cry out: "Fair is thy tale, but I have
heard it before, only it is different thus and thus." And in sooth, he
had heard it from Elfhild. The other matter was that Stephen was a
smith exceeding deft, and learned the craft to Osberne, so that by the
end of the year he bade fair to be a good smith himself. Moreover,
whiles would Stephen take a scrap of iron and a little deal of silver,
as a silver penny or florin, from out of his hoard, and would fashion
it into an ouch or chain or arm-ring, so quaintly and finely that it
was a joy to look on. And every one of those things would Stephen give
to Osberne with a friendly grin, and Osberne took them with a joyful
heart because now he had a new thing to give to Elfhild, and each one
he shot across the river unto her the soonest that he might. But
whiles, when his heart was full, Osberne would say to the smith: "Thou
givest me so much, and doest so well by me, that I know not how ever I
am to make it good to thee." And Stephen would say: "Fear not, master,
the time will come when thou mayst do such good to me as shall pay for
all at once."

Now befel tidings on a day of the beginning of October; for the wind,
which had been high and blustering all day, grew greater and greater
by then candles were lighted in the hall, till it was blowing a great
gale from the south-west, which seemed like to lift the house-roof.
Then befel a knocking on the house-door, and Stephen went thereto and
opened it, & came back with a man all dripping & towzelled with the
storm. He was a tall man, yellow-haired, and goodly both of face and
body, but his face much hidden with a beard untrimmed, and never a
shoe had he to his foot: yet was he bold and free of mien d