hee and our hope of
happy life. Well, I shall tell thee--"

But therewithal her speech failed her; and, springing up, she faced the
bent and pointed with her finger, and she all deadly pale, and shaking so
that she might scarce stand, and might speak no word, though a feeble
gibbering came from her mouth.

Walter leapt up and put his arm about her, and looked whitherward she
pointed, and at first saw nought; and then nought but a brown and yellow
rock rolling down the bent: and then at last he saw that it was the Evil
Thing which had met him when first he came into that land; and now it
stood upright, and he could see that it was clad in a coat of yellow
samite.

Then Walter stooped down and gat his bow into his hand, and stood before
the Maid, while he nocked an arrow. But the monster made ready his
tackle while Walter was stooping down, and or ever he could loose, his
bow-string twanged, and an arrow flew forth and grazed the Maid's arm
above the elbow, so that the blood ran, and the Dwarf gave forth a harsh
and horrible cry. Then flew Walter's shaft, and true was it aimed, so
that it smote the monster full on the breast, but fell down from him as
if he were made of stone. Then the creature set up his horrible cry
again, and loosed withal, and Walter deemed that he had smitten the Maid,
for she fell down in a heap behind him. Then waxed Walter wood-wroth,
and cast down his bow and drew his sword, and strode forward towards the
bent against the Dwarf. But he roared out again, and there were words in
his roar, and he said "Fool! thou shalt go free if thou wilt give up the
Enemy."

"And who," said Walter, "is the Enemy?"

Yelled the Dwarf: "She, the pink and white thing lying there; she is not
dead yet; she is but dying for fear of me. Yea, she hath reason! I
could have set the shaft in her heart as easily as scratching her arm;
but I need her body alive, that I may wreak me on her."

"What wilt thou do with her?" said Walter; for now he had heard that the
Maid was not slain he had waxed wary again, and stood watching his
chance.

The Dwarf yelled so at his last word, that no word came from the noise a
while, and then he said: "What will I with her? Let me at her, and stand
by and look on, and then shalt thou have a strange tale to carry off with
thee. For I will let thee go this while."

Said Walter: "But what need to wreak thee? What hath she done to thee?"

"What need! what need!" roared the Dwar