The Flame-Flower 105

The Northmen backed from the darting
flames; but the flames came at them from
every point of the palisade, surrounding
them, but leaving a free circle round Griffith
and Evan and theirmen. One after another
the foemen fell, choked by the scorching
heat; then they that remained fled head-
long down the steep hill, the darting vines
of fire pursuing them, making a network of
lightning on the turf. And the Northern men
fled to return no more to that place; and
these told the tale to their fellows, so that
after that no foeman came near that place
within the lifetime of a man. All the rest
of the land was overrun and devastated by
them, and by others from the island to the
west ; but they came no more to Pratulum.

The wolf-mother had gone too. Some
said she fell amid the flames; some said she
fled away into the dark forests, but no man
knows.

Evan arose no more.

For many days Honora and Flamma
tended Griffith, who was nigh unto death:
and those who saw him said, “He has met