That Ina saw also, and he came down from the high place, and stood and looked in the face of this one who would have slain him, fixedly for a minute.

Then he said, speaking to Owen in a low voice: 

“Justice has been done, as it seems to me.  Justice from a higher hand than mine, moreover.”

Then he went back to his place, and standing there said in the dead hush that was on us all: 

“It would seem that this man thought that he had somewhat against me, indeed, but I do not know him, or who his brother may have been.  Nor have I slain any man save in open field of battle at any time, as all men know, save and except that I may be said to have done so by the arm of the law.  Yet even so, our Wessex dooms are not such as take life but for the most plain cause, and that seldom as may be.  Is there any one here who has knowledge of this man who calls himself Morgan of Dyvnaint?  It seems to me that I have heard the name before.”

Now Owen had gone back to his place, and while one or two thanes came forward and looked in the face of the man, whom they had not yet seen plainly, he spoke to the king, and Ina seemed to wonder at what he heard.

Then Herewald the ealdorman said: 

“That is the name of one of the two Devon princes of the West Welsh, cousins of Gerent the king.  We have trouble with their men, who raid our homesteads now and then.”

At that a big man with a yellow moustache and long curling hair rose from among the franklins and said loudly, in a voice which was neither like that of a Briton nor a Saxon at all: 

“Let me get a nearer look at him, and I will soon tell you if he is what he claimed to be.”

And with no more ceremony he came to where I and the two house-carles yet stood, and looked and laughed a little to himself as he did so.

“He is Morgan the prince, right enough,” he said.  “And I can tell you all the trouble.  Your sheriff hung his brother, Dewi, three months since for cattle lifting and herdsman slaying on this side Parrett River, somewhere by Puriton, where no Welshman should be.  I helped hunt the knaves at the time.  The sheriff took him for a common outlaw like his comrades, and it was in my mind that there would be trouble.  So I told the sheriff, and he said that if the king himself got mixed up with outlaws and cattle thieves he must even take his chance with the rest.  And thereon I said—­”

“Thanks, friend,” said Ina.  “The rest shall be for tomorrow.  Bide here tonight, that you may tell all at the morning.”

The man made a courtly bow enough, and went back to his seat, and then Ina bade Owen see to his lodgment, and after that the thralls carried out the body.  I went quietly and walked along the lower tables, bidding my men see if more Welshmen were present, but finding none, and then I found the hall steward wringing his hands, with an ashy face, at the far end of the hall.