The Flame-Flower 103

‘Why not fire, mother?” said the leader
of the Northern men.

But she only shrieked “Not fire!” For
the wolves fear the fire.

“If ye use fire, by fire ye shall your-
selves be consumed,” she cried. But they
kindled the heap of brushwood; and
the palisade blazed up and a gap was
made.

Evan and Griffith stood in the gap, the fire
scorching their faces, and hewed down the
Northmen as they rushed on to enter; but
the fire-breach widened and widened, and a
double line of Evan’s men stood in it, keeping
back the foemen from the gap; and as the
gap widened the line lengthened.

But Evan’s men fell by threes and fours,
until two score had fallen; and Evan and
Griffith, with the one score of their men who
were left, set their backs to the huts within
the palisade, and fought on.

Then Evan fell; and Griffith stood over
him, fighting on with his axe.

Flamma crept forth from the edge of the
forest, unseen by the besiegers, a javelin in

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