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While the stranger fearlessly accepted the invitation, the watchman raised his horn, and blew a loud call into the valley of his people. The wild tones echoed from the mountain. The watchman looked toward the huts in the distant opening, and nodded his head contentedly, for a movement was visible about the houses; after a short time a horseman hastened toward the heights. "Nothing beats the strong blast of a buffalo horn," he said, laughing, and gliding up to the stranger in the heather, darted a sharp look along the glade of the wood and into the valley before him. "Speak, wanderer; there is perhaps a pursuer on thy track, or possibly thou mayest have seen warriors in the wood?"

"Nothing sounded in the forest but what belongs to it," answered the stranger. "No bloodhound of the Catts has been watching my path for the last six days."

"The sons of the Catts come blind into the world, like young puppies," exclaimed the watcher, contemptuously. "Yet I think thou must understand well how to conceal thyself in the forest if thou hast escaped their watching."

"Before me was light, behind me was darkness," proudly answered the stranger.

The watchman looked with interest on the man; on his brown countenance exhaustion was clearly to be seen; he leaned heavily against the tree. For some time the watchman reflected. "If thou hadst to fear the vengeance of the Catts, thou has found bad traveling fare, for the wood offers now not even berries or wild fruit. See, I am only a retainer of the Chieftain's; I know not whether he will grant you his bread and salt; but a hungry man in the woods I may not shun. Take and eat from my wallet." The watchman caught up from behind the tree a pouch of badger skin, and offered from it black bread and meat. The stranger looked thankfully at him, but remained silent. Then the watchman held out to him a small horn, and opening the wooden cover, said kindly, "Take also salt; under this tree is my home, here I am the host."

The stranger seized it. "Blessed be to thee this gift of the gods; we are friends." He ate ravenously; the youth looked on contentedly.

"When the warm sun sends her rays through the foliage of the trees, then thy office of watcher is a pleasant service," said the stranger, at last renewing the conversation; Abut when the wind blusters in the stormy night, then courage is needful for the forest-warden."

"The border boundary here is consecrated to the good gods of the people," answered the watchman; "from both sides the holy springs run down into the valley, but we forest people are familiar with the night-song of the trees."

"Thou art young," continued the stranger; "thy lord shows great trust in thee, committing to thee singly the care of thy country's boundary."

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