Then Owen swore as he had promised, on the cross hilt of his sword,
and Erpwald swore faith on the ring, and so the swords were
sheathed at last; and when they had disarmed all our men but Owen,
Erpwald's men took torches from the hall and went to tend the
wounded, who lay scattered everywhere inside the gate, and most
thickly where my father fell.

Owen went to that place, with a little hope yet that his friend
might live, but it was not so. Therefore he knelt beside him for a
little while, none hindering him, and so bade him farewell. Then he
went to Stuf, who was sorely hurt, but not in such wise that he
might not recover.

"What will you do with the child?" the man asked.

"Have no fear for him. I shall take him westward, where my own
people are. He shall be my son, and I think that all will be well
with him hereafter."

"I wit that you are not what you have seemed, Master," Stuf said.
"It will be well if you say so."

Then Owen bade him farewell also, and went to find me and get me
hence before the ale and mead of the house was broached by the
spoilers. And, as I have said, I was already dressed, and I ran to
his arms and asked what all the trouble was, and where my father
had gone, and the like. I think that last question was the hardest
that Owen ever had put to him, and he did not try to answer it
then. He told me that he and I must go to Chichester at once, at my