sult or

thou

t or w

ten lit

it wi

ce they ar

vam

he provision-shed, grinding meal on a small s

ease you,

t fits me well! 'If it please you,' and 'my lord,'

. "Have they drawn Earl Edmund's blood out of you? Until they have done that, you will be

must. We spoke enough of the matter last night. Only see to it that no one hears y

rd the group of late-risen revellers who were lounging under the trees, break

pleas

you be prudent toward them. I have not been a shield-maid

k's nest! Certainly I thin

uld slay anyone who spoke harshly to me. What is it if now and then she herself strikes me? I have had many a blow from your mother's nurse. I do not find that I am m

fore, Alwin's eyes flared up hotly. But he would m

nxious heart to her task of

oung people were talking together. They sat a little apart in the shade of some birch trees which served as rests for their backs,-Helga enthroned on a bit of rock, Rolf and Sigurd lounging on either side of her, the black-maned Egil stretched at her fee

was saying, as he sipped his ale in the leisurely fashion which some

ble, Helga answered: "He will be away two days yet; did I not tell you? He

I understand how it is that he has such favor with King Olaf, for all that he comes of outlawed blood. In Wisby, men tho

as a lamb's. As he put down the curious gilded vessel, he said in the soft voice that matched his face so well and his body so ill: "If you have a boon to ask of your foster-father,

a start. Egil scowled in answ

u," the Black One growled. "At meal-time I have other use

on his guard, and shovelled more herrings upon the flat piece of hard bread that served as a plate. Egil, however, notice

wrestler pointed to a couple of large flat stones that he had placed, one on top of the other

as silly. He retorted angrily: "Do you suppose that my wits wer

mean. Can they be stones that I am able to treat like this?" His fist arose in the air, doubled itse

him. So, though unquestionably impressed, he refused to show it. A

, first. In the northeast corner of t

ormed them. "Sigurd ran across a jar of it last night. That pig of an Olver yonder hid it on the highest shelf. Very likely the goldsmith's daughter gave it to him and it was his intention to keep it all for himself. We will put a trick upon him. Bring it quickly,

sing the circling hound, lost sight of everything save the imperious young person before him. He

am stealing!" he man

Helga's foot st

If he threatens to flog you, I promise that I

etween his clenched teeth: "I will not let him think that I

would not suffice Helga. Leaping to her feet, she caught up the riding-whip from the grass beside her and lash

of Leif's property," Rolf m

sp and broke it in pieces. He would that he might have broken her as well; he thirsted to,-when he caught sight of the laughing Egil, and everything else was blotted out of his vision. Without a s