"Aye, that have I," said Wulfhere, "what of him?"
"Osric the Sheriff seeks him. Tell me quickly where I may find him."
"Is Osric back in the town?" asked Wulfhere in surprise.
"Aye, man, and half the levy with him. The Danes will go away now.
Enough are left to mind them."
Then Wulfhere stamped on the ground in rage, cursing the folly of every
man of the levy. And the housecarle stared at him as at one gone
suddenly mad; but I knew only too well that his worst fears were on the
way to be realized, and that soon there would be no force left on
Cannington Hill.
Suddenly he turned on the messenger and asked if he knew the name of the
man he sought.
"No; but men say that it was one Heregar--an outlawed thane. And some
say that it was one of the saints."
"Will Osric string him up, think you, if he can catch him, and it be
Heregar only, and no saint?"
The man stared again.
"Surely not," he said, "for he was sore cast down once, on the hill,
thinking him slain. But men had seen him remount and ride on, And Osric
bid me, and all of us who seek him, pray Heregar--if Heregar it be--
to come to him in all honour. Let me go and seek him."
Then Wulfhere turned to me and asked if I would go. And at that the man
made reverence to me, giving his message again.
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