The Roots of the Mountains

at love the closest covert. The ground still went up and up, though at whiles were hollows, and steeper bents out of them again

maller and gnarled and ill-grown: therewithal the day was waning, and the

the clear even (though indeed they were yet far away) the snowy peaks flushed with the sinking sun against the frosty dark-grey eastern sky; and below th

ng words which Stone-face had spoken last night, and he felt as if he were now indeed within the trap. But presently he laughed and said: 'I am a fool: this comes of being alone in the dark wood and the dismal waste, after the merry faces of the Dale had swept away my foolis

o where they thickened into a wood, not very close, wherethrough he went merrily, singing to himself and swinging his spear. He was soon through this wood, and came on to a wide well-grassed wood-lawn, hedged by the wood aforesaid on three sides, but sloping up slowly toward the black wall of the thicker pine-wood on the fourth side, and about half a furlong over

ilt it, and are on some errand of hunting peltries up in the mountains, or maybe are seeking copper and tin among the rocks. Well, at least let us go see what m

e hill on his side as he rushed on with a short-sword in his hand. Axe and sword clashed together for a moment of time, and then both the men rolled over on the grass together, and Face-of-god as he fell deemed that he heard the shrill cry of a woman. Now Face-of-god found that he was the nethermost, for if he was strong, yet was his foe stronger; the axe had flown out of his hand also, while the strange man still kept a hold of his short-sword; and presently, though he still struggled all he could,

staff like the limb of a tree. She was calm and smiling, though forsooth it was she who had stricken the stroke and stayed the sword from his throat.

is man thy foe? doth he opp

ed in thy proffers: he might have asked t

ne, laughing also, 'but

gift is not wont to break the giver's head with it straightway. The man is my brother, O stranger, and presently, if thou wilt, thou mayst be eating at the same board wit

ndly, and drew somewhat nigher to Gold-mane. Therewithal the s

is to wear the helm abroad wh

e face. Thou churl, since when hath it been our wont to thrust knives into a guest, who is come of grea

oonest mended. A clout on the head is worse than a woman's chid

well-opened, but somewhat fierce withal. Yet was he in nowise evil-looking; he seemed some thirty summers old. He was clad in a short scarlet kirtle, a goodly garment, wit

linen smock, and over it a short gown of dark b

I may not have over-many foes alive: but it seems that thou art to be a friend, and that

forth; against the tumble on the grass I set the clout on t

no foeman here, but rather maybe a friend both now and in time to come.' Therewith he cast his arms about

soberly: 'Nay, thou art to

nd well-liking. But she laid her hand on his shoulder and said: 'Now is it for thee to choose

ess of pleasure he had never felt erst, and he ans

feet, as they went all three together toward the house in the gathering dusk, while eastward