the raiders came."

With that I took the men straightway to the king, bidding the
house-carles hold their peace awhile. And even as we talked with
this party, another man rode in from the Tone fenlands, and he had
seen the march of the West Welsh men, and knew that Gerent's force
was halted at Norton. A swift and sudden gathering, and a swift
march that was worthy of a good leader, else had we heard thereof
before this.

After that man came another, and yet another, till all the
courtyard was full of reeking horses and white-faced men, and the
ealdorman was sent for and Nunna; and in an hour or less the war
arrow was out, and the news was flying north and south and east,
with word that all Somerset was to be here on the morrow to hold
the land their forebears had won from those who came.

Presently with the quiet of knowing all done that might be done on
us, the ealdorman and I went down to his house.

"Here is an end of tomorrow's wedding," he said sadly. "I do not
know how Elfrida will take it, for it is not to be supposed that
Erpwald will hold back from the levy, though, indeed, if ever man
had excuse, he has it in full."

I knew that he would not, also, and said nothing. He was yet
sitting on the settle where I had left him waiting for me, with the
level sun in his face as it sank across the Poldens, and he looked
content with all things.

"What a coil and a clatter has been past me, surely," he said. "I
doubt there must be a raid over the border, from what I hear the
men shouting."

"More than that, friend," I said gravely, looking straight at him.
"The Welsh are on us in all earnest, and tomorrow we must meet them
somewhere yonder, where the sun is setting."

He looked at me, and his face flushed redder and redder.

"What, fighting in the air?" he said, with a sort of new interest.

"War,--nothing more or less," answered Herewald with a groan.

"I am in luck for once," he said, leaping up. "Let me go with you,
Oswald; for this is what I have never seen."

"Hold hard, son-in-law," cried the ealdorman. "What of the
wedding?"

His face fell, and he stared at us blankly, but his cheek paled.

"Forgive me," he said. "I never can manage to keep more than one
thing in my head at a time. Here was I thinking of nought but that,
until this news came and drove out all else. Don't tell Elfrida
that I forgot it."

"Trouble enough for her without that," answered Herewald. "You
cannot hold back, maybe, thou