At last the lower door opened and the fair woman came
into the hall with a torch in either hand, after whom came the
huntress, now clad in a dark blue kirtle, and an old woman yet
straight and hale; and these twain bore in the victuals and the
table-gear. Then the three fell to dighting the board, and when it
was all ready, and Gold-mane and Wild-wearer were set down to it, and
with them the fair woman and the huntress, the old woman threw good
store of fresh brands on the hearth, so that the light shone into
every corner; and even therewith the outer door opened, and four more
men entered, whereof one was old, but big and stalwarth, the other
three young: they were all clad roughly in sheep-brown weed, but had
helms upon their heads and spears in their hands and great swords
girt to their sides; and they seemed doughty men and ready for
battle. One of the young men cast down by the door the carcass of a
big-horned mountain sheep, and then they all trooped off to the out-
bower by the lower door, and came back presently fairly clad and
without their weapons. Wild-wearer nodded to them kindly, and they
sat at table paying no more heed to Face-of-god than to cast him a
nod for salutation.
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