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ons,-splendid mail-clad giants who ate at King Olaf's board, slept a his hall, and fought to the death at his side. Again it was a minstrel, with a harp at his back, who stopped to rest and exchange a song for a ho

f gay folk from the King's house rode by to the hunt, spurs jingling, horns braying, falcons at their wrists. Sometimes brawny followers of the visiting chiefs swaggered past in groups, and the boy could hear their shou

eared nearer, and he could make out a white beard on the gray figure and a veil of golden hair above the scarlet kirtle. What hair for a boy, even the noblest born! It was the custom of all free men to wear their locks uncut; but this golden mantle! Yet could it be a girl? Did a girl ever wear a he

rider; then he took the bronze bit between his teeth and leaped forward. Whitebeard and his bay mare were left behind. The yellow hair streamed out like a banner; nearer, and Alwin could see that it was indeed a

e booth. In another moment a crowd gathered around the fallen girl and shut her from his view. Alwin gazed at the shifting backs with a dreadful vision of golden hair torn and splashed

ithered as a winter apple, but a body swaddled in fur-trimmed tunics until it seemed as fat as a polar bea

ing her wrist with the utmost calmness. Though her face was white and d

e girth broke, and it appears that my wrist is out

affection and wonder; then he drew a deep breath. "Donnerwetter

to position, without a murmur from the patient. Despite her strange dress and general dishevelment, he could see now that she was a beautiful girl, a year or two younger than hims

sparkling mead. This gave a turn to the affair that proved of special interest to Alwin. There is an old Norse proverb which prescribes "Li

the slaves' bench. "Donnerwetter!" he said, setting down his horn. "To my mind

d quickly. "It is unlikely that you

m up and down critically, as if he were a piece of armor, or a horse. It was he who flushed, with sudden shame a

d; "he looks as though his strength we

to Hord was a hindrance. For sport only, Egil Olafson under the water took him down and held him there; and because to get

ong and well-shaped." He came over to where Alwin sat, and stood him up and turned him round and bent his

d old fellow, and at last he drew his money-bag from his girdle and handed it to the trader to

ou keep them on until you sail. I will not conceal it from you that he has

it to be able to read runes, but better yet it is to know what the Lord has written in men's eye

d what a kind old face it was, for all its shrewdness and

ou thanks

hat we understand each other. Nun! Come. First shall you go and Helga's horse lead, since i

erd of unbroken steers all day, than walk one mile before a beautiful young Amazon who looked a

igh in the air. When she had taken leave of the trader, she walked out without a limp and vaulted into her saddle unaided. The sunlight, glancing from her s

with unwilling admiration. Perhaps some day he would

ked haughtily forward, he took his place a