on me, and I could not shake it off. It seemed to me that I would
not see Owen again, though why it so seemed I could not tell. If I
had any thought of danger to myself I should have cared little, so
it was not that. I wonder if one can feel "fey" for another man if
he is dear to you as no other can be?



CHAPTER XI. HOW ERPWALD FELL FROM CHEDDAR CLIFFS; AND OF ANOTHER WARNING.


In the coming week, after I had thus taken leave of Owen, my friend
Herewald, the ealdorman, would have a hunting party before we all
left him and Glastonbury for Winchester, and so it came to pass
that on the appointed day a dozen of us rode with a train of men
and hounds after us along the westward slopes of the Mendips in the
direction of Cheddar, rousing the red deer from the warm woodlands
of the combes where they love to hide. We had the slow-hounds with
us, and that, as it seems to me, is better sport than with the
swift gaze-hounds I rode after on the Welsh hills with Eric. It is
good to hear the deep notes of them as they light on the scent of
the quarry in the covers, and to see them puzzle out a lost line in
the open, and to ride with the crash and music of the full pack
ahead of one in the ears, as the deer doubles no longer, but trusts
to speed for escape.

Those who were with us were friends of mine and of the ealdorman,
and there were three ladies in the party--one of these being, of
course, Elfrida.