Said Gold-mane: “I am well pleased at thine asking, and so shall Iron-face be when he heareth of thine archery; and how that Hall-face were now his only son but for thy close shooting. But now must I to the way; for my heart tells me that there may have been tidings in Burgstead this while I have been aloof.”
So they rose all three, and Bow-may said:
“Thou art a kind brother, and soon shall we meet again; and that will be well.”
Then he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed both her cheeks; and he kissed Wood-wise, and turned and went his ways, threading the stony tangle about the Weltering Water, which was now at middle height, and running clear and strong; so turning once he beheld Wood-wise and Bow-may climbing the path up the side of the ghyll, and Bow-may turned to him also and waved her bow as token of farewell. Then he went upon his way, which was rough enough to follow by night, though the moon was shining brightly high aloft. Yet as he knew his road he made but little of it all, and in somewhat more than an hour and a half was come out of the pass into the broken ground at the head of the Dale, and began to make his way speedily under the bright moonlight toward the Gate, still going close by the water. But as he went he heard of a sudden cries and rumour not far from him, unwonted in that place, where none dwelt, and where the only folk he might look to see were those who cast an angle into the pools and eddies of the Water. Moreover, he saw about the place whence came the cries torches moving swiftly hither and thither; so that he looked to hear of new tidings, and stayed his feet and looked keenly about him on every side; and just then, between his rough path and the shimmer of the dancing moonlit water, he saw the moon smite on something gleaming; so, as quietly as he could, he got his target on his arm, and shortened his spear in his right hand, and then turned sharply toward that gleam. Even therewith up sprang a man on his right hand, and then another in front of him just betwixt him and the water; an axe gleamed bright in the moon, and he caught a great stroke on his target, and therewith drave his left shoulder straight forward, so that the man before him fell over into the water with a mighty splash; for they were at the very edge of the deepest eddy of the Water. Then he spun round on his heel, heeding not that another stroke had fallen on his right shoulder, yet ill-aimed, and not with the full edge, so that it ran down his byrny and rent it not. So he sent the thrust of his spear crashing through the face and skull of the smiter, and looked not to him as he fell, but stood still, brandishing his spear and crying out, “For the Burg and the Face! For the Burg and the Face!”
No other foe came against him, but like to the echo of his cry rose a clear shout not far aloof, “For the Face, for the Face! For the Burg and the Face!” He muttered, “So ends the day as it begun,” and shouted loud again, “For the Burg and the Face!” And in a minute more came breaking forth from the stone-heaps into the moonlit space before the water the tall shapes of the men of Burgstead, the red torchlight and the moonlight flashing back from their war-gear and weapons; for every man had his sword or spear in hand.
Hall-face was the first of them, and he threw his arms about his brother and said: “Well met, Gold-mane, though thou comest amongst us like Stone-fist of the Mountain. Art thou hurt? With whom hast thou dealt? Where be they? Whence comest thou?”
“Nay, I am not hurt,” said Face-of-god. “Stint thy questions then, till thou hast told me whom thou seekest with spear and sword and candle.”
“Two felons were they,” said Hall-face, “even such as ye saw lying dead at Wood-grey’s the other day.”
“Then may ye sheathe your swords and go home,” said Gold-mane, “for one lieth at the bottom of the eddy, and the other, thy feet are well-nigh treading on him, Hall-face.”
Then arose a rumour of praise and victory, and they brought the torches nigh and looked at the fallen man, and found that he was stark dead; so they even let him lie there till the morrow, and all turned about toward the Thorp; and many looked on Face-of-god and wondered concerning him, whence he was and what had befallen him. Indeed, they would have asked him thereof, but could not get at him to ask; but whoso could, went as nigh to Hall-face and him as they might, to hearken to the talk between the brothers.
So as they went along Hall-face did verily ask him whence he came: “For was it not so,” said he, “that thou didst enter into the wood seeking some adventure early in the morning the day before yesterday?”
“Sooth is that,” said Face-of-god, “and I came to Shadowy Vale, and thence am I come this morning.”
Said Hall-face: “I know not Shadowy Vale, nor doth any of us. This is a new word. How say ye, friends, doth any man here know of Shadowy Vale?”
They all said, “Nay.”
Then said Hall-face: “Hast thou been amongst mere ghosts and marvels, brother, or cometh this tale of thy minstrelsy?”
“For all your words,” said Gold-mane, “to that Vale have I been; and, to speak shortly (for I desire to have your tale, and am waiting for it), I will tell thee that I found there no marvels or strange
