gs in those
days were equivalent to wealth.

"You have done well and gallantly indeed, my young friend," Siegbert
said as, followed by several slaves bearing Edmund's presents, they
returned to the tent. "I am glad you did not slay him, for I think not
that he will die. Such a blow given in battle would assuredly have been
fatal, but here the means of stanching the blood were at hand, and I
trust for Bijorn's sake that he will recover; but whether or no he
brought it on himself."

On reaching the tent Freda ran out radiant.

"I hear that you have conquered," she said, "and I am glad indeed; it
serves him right, for all say that he forced the fight upon you."

"I did not know that your sympathies were so strongly against Sweyn,"
Siegbert said in a somewhat reproachful tone. "He has always been your
devoted follower."

"He has always been my tyrant, father, for he has always insisted on my
doing his pleasure; but if he had been ten times my follower, and had
been a valiant warrior instead of a youth, and I a maiden of twenty
instead of a girl of fifteen, I should still be glad that he was
conquered, because without any reason for quarrel he has sought to slay
this Saxon youth who did us such great service, and to whom as he knew
we were so indebted."

Siegbert smiled. "Hitherto I have wondered, daughter mine, at the
reason which induced Sweyn to challenge Edmund, but now methinks I
understand it. Sweyn has, as his father has told me, youth as he is,
set his heart on winning your hand when you shall reach the age of
womanhood, and it is just because Edmund has done you and me service
that he hates him. You are young, child, for your bright eyes to have
caused bloodshed; if you go on like this there will be no end to the
trouble I shall have on your account before I get you fairly wedded."

Freda coloured hotly.

"That is nonsense, father; another five years will be soon enough to
begin to think of such things. At any rate," she said with a laugh, "I
am rid of Sweyn, for he can hardly expect me ever to love a one-armed
man."

"There have been brave warriors," Seigbert said, "with but one arm."

"It makes no difference," Freda laughed; "if he had fifty arms I should
never love him."

Edmund now entreated Siegbert to repay himself from the presents he had
received for the goods he had the evening before given to Bijorn as the
price of his liberty, but this the jarl would not hear of. Edmund then
begged him to b