t, as his feudal
superior, to enforce; for Ella was not prepared to throw off his
allegiance, as most of his neighbours had done, and to make common cause
with Edgar. Again, the conversation of the previous night had given him
more confidence in Edwy, and more hope of seeing Elfric again, like the
returning prodigal, than he had previously had.

Edwy saw this, and continued:

"And it is but a few days hence, ere I propose to return with Elfric--
whom I could indeed put in command of such forces as are necessary to
secure you against our mutual foes, when I return southward. Redwald and
his troops will hold the place in trust for Elfric, till he arrives."

The last lingering feeling of reluctance was now forcibly banished, and
Ella consented to receive Redwald as his guest, with a picked troop of
fifty men.

"They shall be the best behaved warriors you have ever seen, my own
hus-carles--men who go to mass every morning, and shrift every week,"
added the deceitful prince; "at least," he added, as he saw the look of
incredulity Ella could not suppress, "some of them do, I can't say how
many."

In the course of an hour from this conversation, the royal party took
its departure, reduced to half its numbers.

Edwy left amidst the regret of all, so amiable had been his manners, so
winning his ways.

"I take a son's liberty," said he, as he saluted the venerable cheek of
the lady Edith; "but I will bring your other son back with me in a few
days."

The road leading over the hill and through the forest had swallowed up
the retreating force, when Ella personally superintended the
distribution of quarters to the guard of Redwald, many of whom
afterwards volunteered to follow him to the harvest field, and displayed
uncommon alacrity in carrying the wheat safely to its granaries, saying
the rebels should never have the reaping thereof.

There was, however, a kind of gloom over the whole party through that
day. The thought that deadly strife impended close at hand weighed upon
the spirits of Ella, but they brightened again at the renewed hope of
meeting his prodigal, and he now hoped repentant, son in peace.

Meanwhile, very different scenes were on the point of being enacted only
twice ten miles from the spot.

The main body of the army left its quarters on the right bank of the
Avon, at the same hour in which Edwy left Aescendune to join them on
their march and they proceeded in safety all through the morning. At
mid