hangings on the walls, though they left some places bare which were
hung with fresh boughs, were fairer than any he had ever seen, so
that he deemed that they must come from far countries and the City of
Cities: therein were images wrought of warriors and fair women of
old time and their dealings with the Gods and the Giants, and
Wondrous wights; and he deemed that this was the story of some great
kindred, and that their token and the sign of their banner must needs
be the Wood-wolf, for everywhere was it wrought in these pictured
webs. Perforce he looked long and earnestly at these fair things,
for the hall was not dark yet, because the brands on the hearth were
flaming their last, and when Wild-wearer beheld him so gazing, he
stood up and looked too for a moment, and then smote his right hand
on the hilt of his sword, and turned away and strode up and down the
hall as one in angry thought.

But the woman, even the Friend, bestirred herself for the service of
the guest, and brought water for his hands and feet, and when she had
washed him, bore him the wine of Welcome and drank to him and bade
him drink; and he all the while was shamefaced; for it was to him as
if one of the Ladies of the Heavenly Burg were doing him service.
Then she went away by a door at the lower end of the hall, and Wild-
wearer came and sat down by Gold-mane, and fell a-talking with him
about the ways of the Dalesmen, and their garths, and the pastures
and growths thereof; and what temper the carles themselves were of;
which were good men, which were ill, which was loved and which
scorned; no otherwise than if he had been the goodman of some
neighbouring dale; and Gold-mane told him whatso he knew, for he saw
no harm therein.

After a while the outer door opened, and there came in a woman of