THE WAYS APPOINTED TO US

Chapter 2 --- Sam

"Praise from the praiseworthy," he said. I don't know about that. I'm not a wizard, or a warrior, or anything useful really. But there's just me now between Mr. Frodo and all that want to hurt him. These Men would have had to come through Samwise Gamgee to get at him.

We're trapped in this cave, surrounded by armed Men. By now we could have been bound, or dead, the Ring taken. But he didn't take it. He didn't even want to see it. The way he looked at Mr. Frodo --- with amazement, with respect -- poor Boromir never looked at him that way, not even in Rivendell.

If he had taken the Ring, though, what then? Well, that Gollum would up and follow him all the way back to Gondor and beyond, I guess. I don't want to imagine what it would have done to Mr. Frodo. Would he follow after Captain Faramir as well? I suppose he would, with his last breath. And I with him wherever he went.

What could we have done to defend ourselves? Mr. Frodo could have put the thing on and escaped somehow. These folks don't know the Ring makes you invisible, he would have had time to get out and go. Would he have done it? He'd have no gear, no food. He'd be alone with no one to help him, with that Gollum still sniffing about for him. Or he could have pulled out the Lady's star-glass and we could see what it does. Maybe it would have helped us, I don't know. "A light to you in dark places," she said. Well that's what Captain Faramir is to us, and no mistake. A light in a dark place. And he sees the light shining in Mr. Frodo, I can tell. I can see it even when he's sleeping, even then. Even now.

I hope the others are all right. Boromir dead, how could it have happened? Where would Strider have taken everybody? Are they following us? Back to Lórien? Back home? Into the Wild again? I wish I knew.

I can't stay awake another minute, I'll have to risk a bit of a sleep. Somehow it's worked out all right. Mr. Frodo's finally got some decent food in him, and he's sleeping sound at last. One night at least that he can rest up off the cold hard ground. One night at least.

** TBC **