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into the Dimmendark, toward the Grimwall. In pursuit along this track rode Galen and Tuck, pressing into Winternight.
    "At last they came unto the Weiunwood, that shaggy forest, where they learned that here, too, a mighty battle had been fought; but here the Alliance had won, using Warrow woods-trickery and Elven lore and the strength of Men. Tuck and Galen met with Arbagon, Bockleman, and Inarion—leaders of the Warrows, Men, and Elves—and Galen was told that five days pa^t a Helsteed-mounted Ghulen force had hammered by, still bearing toward the Grimwall. And afterwards a lone rider had followed slowly in their wake.
    "Again, Galen and Tuck bore east, and days later came to the Hidden

    Refuge, Arden. There they found Galen's brother, Igon, sorely wounded. It was he who had been the lone tracker of the Kinstealer force. But his wounds, taken in the attack upon the waggon train, had at last overcome him, and he would have died but that the Elves found him lying unconscious in the Winternight and saved him.
    "Even as brother spoke to brother, to the Refuge came the Elf Lord Gildor bearing word that Galen's sire, King Aurion, had been slain and that Galen was now High King of all Mithgar.
    "Galen was sore beset, for his heart told him to go north and somehow deliver Laurelin out of the enemy stronghold; yet his duty told him that as King he must turn south and come unto Pellar to gather the Host to face Modru's hordes.
    "The next morning, with heavy hearts, Galen and Tuck bore southward, leaving Igon behind in Arden in the care of Elvenkind. With them rode Gildor, now Elven advisor to Galen as he had been to Aurion before. The three were making for Quadran Pass and beyond to the Larkenwald, Darda Galion. Gildor sought to warn his Elven kindred, the Lian, that it was almost certain that the Larkenwald, too, soon would be under attack. The companions planned to give warning and afterward to fare onward to Pellar and the Host.
    "Through the Dimmendark the trio rode, ever bearing southward. They overtook a Swarm of Modru's forces also bearing south, marching toward Black Drimmen-deeve to make it into a vile fortress whence the Spawn would launch their attack upon Darda Galion.
    "Silently passing by the Horde, southward rode the trio of Galen, Tuck, and Gildor, in haste now, to warn the Lian of the coming enemy. Far they rode, but at last came to a defile where they heard the sound of single combat, and happened upon a lone Dwarf and a solitary Hlok, fighting amid a great slaughter of Dwarven and Rucken dead—"
    "Brega, Bekki's son!" burst out Anval, fiercely, raising a clenched fist; and Borin cried, "Warrior, hai!"
    "Yes," confirmed Perry, "it was Brega, Bekki's son; and he slew the Hlok. Then Brega alone stood, the last of a force of forty Dwarves from the Red Caves, marching north to join in the battle against Modru. Altogether, the forty had slain nearly two hundred maggot-folk; yet at the last all had fallen but Brega."
    Here Anval and Borin cast their hoods over their heads. "Chdkka shok (Dwarven axes)/' rumbled Borin; "Chdkka cor (Dwarven might)" added Anval.
    In respect, Perry paused a moment, and then continued: "Now the great southward-bound force of the Spaunen Horde was drawing nigh, and Brega stood ready to face them alone. Yet he was at last persuaded that to gain revenge for his slain brethren he must go south with Tuck and Galen and Gildor to join the Host to battle Modru. And so, somewhat reluctantly it

    seems, Brega mounted up behind Lord Gildor to ride to the Larkenwald and then beyond.
    "Now, at last, you see, the Wheel of Fate had turned to bring the four together, and toward Quadran Pass they rode. Cross it they did, and had come partway down Quadran Run, down the flank of Stormhelm, heading for the Pitch and the Larkenwald beyond. But here they were thwarted, for a large force of mounted Ghuls—advance eyes for the Horde—was returning over the range, coming up the Run toward them..
    "The four were