The Flame-Flower 73

shouted the men. “Slay him!” And one
who held a pruning-hook hurled it at Evan:
but the young man Griffith, who had drawn
near Evan, threw out his arm and stopped
the weapon ; and it cut his arm to the bone,
and so saved Evan’s head.

‘Fle is no friend of Morddec, but his foe,”
cried Griffith. ‘‘ He destroyed the castle of
the Wolf by fire; for I was in the forest,
and saw him do this thing. Has Morddec
stolen upon you these seven years? Have
his wolves taken your sheep? No—for he
died in his castle ; and Evan compassed it!”

Now Griffith had been a boy of fourteen
when he had seen this sight; and he had
said nought of it to the men of the settle-
ment; for he knew their suspicion of all who
went into the forest, and feared that they
would drive him from among them. But
now he spoke, being a man grown. .

Evan tore a strip from his woollen tunic,
and bound up Griffith’s arm tightly; then
he turned to the men of the hamlet :—

“Hear me! I had done no wrong when
ye cast me out from among you, but lay