ter safety. So when
the king said this, at first I thought of saying only that I had
surely found out where she was hidden. But then I would not keep
back what Ailwin had said, for Olaf might have advice for me.

Therefore I sat down and told them all the story of my talks with
the priest and the thrall, adding that I was the more sure that
Gunnhild was hard by, because Ailwin had said that it was but
yesterday she had given him the message for me.

Then Olaf said:

"Cousin, I think these two old folk are right. Better wait for
peace, as they say."

"It is not so sure that Cnut will come back," I said.

"Is it not?" said Olaf. "Why--seeing that he has left his host of
thingmen in the towns, and we had Thorkel's foster brother to fight
but the other day, and that these Danes do not yield at once and so
gain peace and hold what they have, but will rather fight than own
Ethelred--I think that none can well doubt that word has gone round
the Danes in the kingdom that he will return, and that they need
not fear to hold out till he comes."

Then the last doubt of trouble to come passed from me, for it was
plain that these thingmen looked for help presently. But Olaf was
thinking of my affairs again.

"Four years is overlong for anyone to play ghost on a whole
countryside," he said laughing. "I cannot think that Gunnhild, even
if she be a witch, can have bided in sight of the village all this
time without being found."

"No man dares go near the place," I said.

"Well, whence has she her food unless from the village? I think she
cannot be so near," he replied, and there was reason in his
question.

I was cast down at this, for I had made so sure that I had found
out the secret that was so carefully kept from me. When there is
mystery made, which is, or seems, needless, there is pleasure and a
feeling of mastery in finding it out unaided, and I was losing
that.

I will say this, however, that I was more vexed in this way than
with the thought that I should not find Hertha, for in my own mind
I began already to own that Ailwin and Gunnhild were in the right
about our not meeting yet.

Olaf saw that I was vexed now, and put forward a plan which he
thought would be pleasant to me, for he was certain that I should
not be satisfied until I had seen if I was right.

"There is no reason why we should not go to the mere and see if
Gunnhild is there," he said. "If she is, maybe it will be well for
you to speak with h