Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/383

 nought to do with you, but we would have the body of a felon and a traitor hight the Lord of Longshaw. Osberne laughed and said: Here he stands beside me; come and take him! And the foe were some three score, all a-horseback. So they fell on without more words; but they made nothing of it, and the Wethermellers kept them aloof with spear and bill. Albeit Osberne did not draw his sword, nor did the Lord of Longshaw.

Then the foemen held off a little, and they said: Hark ye, ye up-countrymen, if ye do not give up this man, then will we burn your house to the threshold. Yea, said Osberne, ye have all day long to do it in, make no delay therefore. Or did ye ever hear who I am? And they said: Nay, we know not. Then he let his red cloak float over him and let his byrny show glittering, and he drew Board-cleaver and suddenly cried out, The Red Lad! The Red Lad! and all the others did in like wise. Then the foemen fled up the bent. And Osberne said: Lightfoot men of Wethermel, here is a job for you: let not one of these men escape from out of the Dale. So they fell to, and hard they worked at it; and so they wrought that they slew them every one. Then Osberne went back to the Lord of Longshaw and said: See, master, it is still a name to conjure with. And now what wilt thou do? Wilt thou gather men in the Dale here? We can find thee a ten score or thereabout of as good men as need be. Nay, said the Lord, I will not