a mound
and a ditch, rose the irregular and fortified dwelling of Anlaf. It
was wrapped in flames from top to basement, and even as we looked one
of the towers gave way, and fell upon the hall beneath, with hideous
din, in headlong ruin.

Around the blazing pile stood some two or three hundred men, who
completely encircled it, and who had doubtless prevented the escape of
the inmates. We were evidently too late; the passive attitude of the
assailants showed that their bloody work was done.

We learned afterwards that the domestics, who were English serfs, had
betrayed the place to the foe, while the Danish lords were revelling
in the great hall, and half drunk with wine. Surprised at the banquet,
they fell an easy prey, and were slaughtered almost without
resistance, after which the house was plundered of everything worth
carrying away, and then set on fire in every part. Further details we
could not gather. All was over when we arrived.

Full of indignation, I and my brethren advanced straight upon the
group surrounding the sheriff, the crafty and cruel Edric Streorn, and
in the name of God denounced the cruelty and sin of which they had
been guilty.

"Sir monk," was the reply, "are you traitor to your king that you thus
league yourself with his deadly enemies? All that is done this night
is done by his order."

"God will avenge the deed," said I. "Ye have not fought like men, but
crept on like serpents, and slain those who, trusting to the faith of
Christians, dwelt blindly in our midst. And now, what can we say? How
can we hope to win our foes to God and Christ when we set at naught
his precepts and despise his example?"

"Sir monk, I have not time to listen to a homily; keep it for next
Sunday, when I will try to attend. For the present--"

Here he was interrupted by a loud cry which arose near us.

"The wolf cub! the wolf cub! Slay him, and the work is complete."

The cry, "Slay him! slay him!" was taken up by a dozen voices, when I
recognised Alfgar, who by some means had learned the danger of his
kinsfolk, and had come to share their fate.

"Save him, sheriff!" I cried; "save him! He is a Christian. His mother
was English."

And I rushed forward myself, and saw that the poor lad had already
been brought on his knees by more than one fell stroke.

I held up the crucifix, which hung at my girdle, on high; I threw my
arm over his head, and abjured them under the name of Christ, and as
they feared th