e his light burden down to the grotto they had
passed in climbing, and bending the branches of the rose bushes aside
placed her safely within its shelter. The nightingale, which there sat
singing on her nest, flew only to a short distance; and then returned
and sang and warbled unceasingly. And the bees flew humming among the
wild roses.

And when the crimson glow of the evening sun shone over the island
Halfred and Thoril descended the cliff. And now the girl's face was
infinitely more beautiful than of yore. She wore her hair no longer in
the net, but waving freely, so that like a mantle spun of threads of
sunny gold it covered her from her throat to her knees. And instead of
the lost buckle a small spray of the thorn bush, with a full blown
rose, fastened her garment over the breast.

Thus, hand in hand, they descended to the lake, and then Thora took
from the boat her three-sided harp, and thus they wandered down by the
streamlet which flowed from the lake to the sea, and on to the bay,
towards the west.

And the ship, which from the west had held her course towards the
island, was the Singing Swan.

There, at a short distance, she now lay at anchor in the bay; her sails
shining brightly in the evening light. And the ship's boat glided over
the water towards the shore, to bring Halfred and the smaller boat,
rowed by Hartvik and Eigil.

And the blood brethren sprang on shore, and marvelled greatly, when
they saw Halfred stand there, hand in hand with a wonderfully beautiful
woman. Silently their glances questioned him.

But Halfred spoke, twining his arms round the slender girl--

"This is Thora the golden-eyed. King Thorul's daughter.

"She was hidden from me here, and clad in boy's clothing that I might
not find her.

"Nevertheless I have found her, according to the course of the stars and
the will of the Gods--Love her as myself--for she is my wife."

CHAPTER XIII.

And now it was very wonderful to see what a wholly different man
Halfred had became since he had won Thora.

He threw off his tattered clothing, and clad himself in the most costly
royal raiment of scarlet and rich gold, which lay stored away as a
special treasure among the spoils of the Singing Swan.

He quaffed the sparkling Chios wine from a silver cup, and eagerly
pledged Thora in Freya's love.

He played often upon her harp, and sang new songs far more beautiful
and ardent, and moving accordin