st, an old man with silver-white
hair and stern features, stepped in between the two combatants, and in
a voice surging with anger he said:

"Cursed be every dissension for the possession of this stranger! A
Christian must not disunite the noblest of our tribe. A daughter of
those we hate, she shall fall to nobody's share. She, the author of
so much strife, shall be sacrificed to the Dragon, and shall be
dedicated to Woden's honour at the next rising of the sun."

The men murmured applause, Horsrik more than the rest. The maiden held
her head upright. Rinbold, the proud young chieftain, looked
sorrowfully at her angel-like face.

II.

Early the following day before the sun had poured his bright beams on
the earth, the valley showed signs of life. Through the dusk of the
forest a noisy procession moved upwards towards the highest point, the
priest in the middle, behind him the prisoner, pale but resolute.
Silently, for her Lord's sake, she had allowed the priest to bind her
forehead as a victim, and to place consecrated flowers in her loose
flowing hair. Many a sympathetic look from the crowd had been cast at
the steadfast maiden. The young chieftain was stricken with pain at
the sight of her death-like countenance.

There stood the projecting rock which had often been dishonoured by
human blood. The fanatical priests wound ropes round the maiden's
body, and then tied her to St. Woden's tree which overhung the
precipice. No complaint escaped the Christian's white lips, no tears
glistened in her eyes which were glancing up at the morning sky. The
throng of people moved off, waiting silently in the distance to see
what would happen.

The first rays of the sun streamed over the mountain; they lighted up
the wreath of flowers in the maiden's hair, playing about her lovely
face, and crowning it with glory. The Christian maid was awaiting
death, as a bride awaits her bridegroom, her lips moving slightly as
in prayer.

A gloomy sound came up from the depths. The Dragon started from his
den, spitting fire on his path. He cast a look at his victim there on
the spot which his blood-thirsty maw knew so well. He raised his scaly
body, thus letting his sharp claws be more visible, moved his snaky
tail in a circle, and showed his gaping mouth. Snorting the monster
crawled along, shooting flames out of his bloodshot eyes.

A shudder of death crept over the maiden at the sight of this awful
beast. Tremblingly she tore a spa