t me, you have only to let that half-moon of gold come into
Orme's hands, and sooner or later you will see me again. And so let it
be between us from henceforward if you will."

She took the coin, and closed her hand upon it until he should give her
the chain, but having it, she could not be to him as she had been
before. She sat up straight and looked at the sea. Her hand was free
for him; but he did not take it, and she felt sure he would not.

A constraint fell upon them; neither could find anything to say. Fate
was between them.

So it was until Orme came back with his news.

He had nothing good to report. Thorbeorn had heard him with
impatience, and as soon as he had ended put himself into a rage. His
thin neck stiffened, his faded eyes showed fire. "Do you offer for my
daughter on behalf of a thrall's son? Well for him he put you forward
instead of a smaller man. But I take it ill coming from you whom I
have always treated as a friend."

Orme had excused himself on the score of Einar's merits--for which he
could answer, he said--and well-being. "He has two ships at sea in the
Norway trade. His credit stands high on each side the water. There's
many a worse man than he well married--and he loves your Gudrid beyond
price. There is nothing he will not put down for her."

But that had wounded Thorbeorn in his most sensitive part. He knew
that he was ruined and could not bear that other men should know it
also. "It is hard that his money should tempt you to insult a poor
man," he said. "I am what I am, and that is a man not so poor but he
can keep his honour clear. You must think me poor indeed in other
things than goods when you ask me to trade my own flesh and blood. Let
me hear no more of it for fear I may get angry. It is the case, I see,
that I rate my daughter's marriage more highly than you seem able to
conceive of. I made a great mistake when I left her in your charge
precisely to avoid what you have brought upon me. Now she shall come
home, where she can be valued at the worth of her name and person.
That is what I have to say to you, Orme." With that he had looked Orme
straight in the face, and there had been no more to urge.

Einar heard it from Orme, but it was Halldis who told Gudrid the news.
Gudrid received it in silence, but put her hand up and laid it over the
token which fluttered in her bosom. "My pretty one," said Halldis, "I
blame myself."

"No, no," Gudrid said,