On this last day Face-of-god led his men well athwart the wood, so
that he hit Wildlake's Way without coming to Carl-stead; and he came
down into the Dale some four hours after noon on a bright day of
latter March. At the ingate to the Dale he found watches set, the
men whereof told him that the tidings were not right great. Hall-
face's company had fallen in with a band of the Felons three score in
number in the oak-wood nigh to Boars-bait, and had slain some and
chased the rest, since they found it hard to follow them home as they
ran for the tangled thicket: of the Burgdalers had two been slain
and five hurt in this battle.
As for Red-coat's company, they had fallen in with no foemen.
CHAPTER XXIX. THEY BRING THE RUNAWAYS TO BURGSTEAD
So now being out of the wood, they went peaceably and safely along
the Portway, the Runaways mingling with the Dalesmen. Strange showed
amidst the health and wealth of the Dale the rags and misery and
nakedness of the thralls, like a dream amidst the trim gaiety of
spring; and whomsoever they met, or came up with on the road, whatso
his business might be, could not refrain himself from following them,
but mingled with the men-at-arms, and asked them of the tidings; and
when they heard who these poor people were, even delivered thralls of
the Foemen, they were glad at heart and cried out for joy; and many
of the women, nay, of the men also, when they first came across that
misery from out the heart of their own pleasant life, wept for pity
and love of the poor folk, now at last set free, and blessed the
swords that should do the like by the whole people.
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