"What is this?" she screamed. "How should these unhallowed ones
come hither?"
"Silence, mother," our captive said. "All is done, and these men
come to take away the prince."
Then she saw that he was bound with Evan's belt, and at that she
screamed again, and a wild look came into her face, and with a
bound that was wonderful in one so old and bent she fled to the
cromlech, and climbed up the rearward stone in some way, perching
herself on the flat top, whence she glared at us.
"We will not harm you, mother," I said, seeing her terror.
And even as I spoke, from within the stone walls of the cromlech
came the voice that I longed to hear again, weak, indeed, but yet
that of Owen:
"Oswald, Oswald!"
Then I paid no more heed to the hag, but ran into the dark place,
and there indeed was my foster father, swathed in bandages, and
lying white and helpless on a rough couch, but yet with a bright
smile and greeting for me, and I went on my knees at his side and
answered him.
I will not say more of that meeting. Outside the old woman cursed
and reviled Howel and Evan and the captive in turns unceasingly;
but I heeded her no more than one heeds a starling chattering on
the roof in the early morning. I had all that I sought, and aught
else was as nothing to me.
After a little while Howel's face came into the doorway, and Owen
called him in.
Pages:
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347