aying of
Lodbrok my friend I had no part."

"That is easily said," Ingvar answered, frowning. "I have my own
thoughts on that--else had I not been here. But this land is in my
power, therefore I will let you go if you will hold it for me, and
own me as overlord, doing my will."

"My answer is the same as it was this morning. It is not for me to
give over this land into the hands of heathen men to save myself."

That was Eadmund's calm answer, and looking on Ingvar I saw the
same bode written in his face as had been when I would not honour
his gods. Then he spoke slowly, and his words fell like ice from
his lips.

"It seems to me that this land is in the hands of us heathen
without your giving."

"So that may be, for the time," answered Eadmund; "but your time of
power has an end."

"Has it so?" said Ingvar, and his eyes flashed. "Where is your help
to come from? Do you look to Ethelred?--He is busy in Wessex with
more of us heathen. Where is Mercia?--It is ours. Will Kent help
you?"

"Our help is in the name of the Lord, who hath made heaven and
earth," answered Eadmund, lifting his eyes heavenwards so
earnestly, that in spite of himself the wild heathen king followed
their upward gaze for a moment.

It was but for a moment, and that weakness, as he would deem it,
was the spark to light Ingvar's wrath, that as yet he had kept
under.

"Hammer of Thor!" he shouted, "you dare throw that in my face! Now
will I show you if heathen or Christian is stronger."

Then with his face white with rage he turned to his men: "Bind him
to yon tree, and we will speak with him again!"

Now if it is well that I did not die with my king, it was well at
that moment for me that my axe hung at my saddle bow, and that my
horse--to which I had paid no heed in my troubles--had wandered a
little way, for I should surely have fought to prevent this
dishonour being wrought. And I sprung to reach the axe, for the
short sword I wore was of no use against so many. But Raud was
close on me, and he dropped from his saddle on my shoulders as I
passed him, so that I fell, half stunned under him, and one of the
other men ran up, and ere they had stripped and bound the king to a
tree, I was bound hand and foot, and rolled by Raud into a thicket
where I might escape Ingvar's eye. And, indeed, he paid no heed to
me, but watched the king.

So must I lie there with my heart like to break, seeing all that
went on, and I will tell it as best I m