Herewith came Dallach to them
as they talked (for Face-of-god had sent for him), and he fell to
questioning the man further; by whose answers it seemed that many men
also had come into the Dale from Rose-dale, so that they of the
kindreds were like to have their hands full. Lastly Dallach drew
from the thrall that it was on that very morning that the great Folk-
mote of the Dusky Men should be holden in the market-place of the
Stead, which was right great, and about it were the biggest of the
houses wherein the men of the kindred had once dwelt.
So when they had made an end of questioning the thrall, and had given
him meat and drink, they asked him if he would take weapons in his
hand and lead them on the ways into the Dale, bidding him look about
the wood and note how great and mighty an host they were. And the
carle yeasaid this, after staring about him a while, and they gave
him spear and shield, and he went with the vanward as a way-leader.
Again presently came a watch of the Shepherds, and they had found a
man and a woman dead and stark naked hanging to the boughs of a great
oak-tree deep in the wood.
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