sked both the men, in startled tones. "He said nothing of it."

"He is ashamed--for his people. No foe; flying Vandals whom he stopped
and tried to turn hacked his arm with their daggers."

"Dogs," cried Gundomar, grinding his teeth; but Gibamund sighed.

"Gundobad, who witnessed it, told me; I examined the arm; there is no
danger."

"And Eugenia?" he asked after a pause.

"She is lying in the next house as if stupefied. When she heard of her
husband's death, she cried: 'To him! Into his grave! Sigrun--' (I once
told her the legend of Helgi) and tried to rush madly away. But she
sank fainting in my arms. Even after she had recovered her senses, she
lay on the couch as if utterly crushed. 'To him! Sigrun--into his
grave!--I am coming, Thrasaric!' was all that she would answer to my
questions. She tried to rise to obtain more news, but could not, and I
sternly forbade her to attempt it again. I will tell her cautiously all
that it is well for her to know--no more. But speak, Gundomar, if you
can; I know all the rest--except how Ammata, how Thrasaric--"

"Presently," said the Gunding. "Another drink of water. And your wound,
Gibamund?"

"It is nothing," replied the Prince, bitterly; "I did not reach the
enemy at all. I sent messenger after messenger to Thrasaric, as I did
not receive the promised report that he was leaving Decimum. Not one
returned; all fell into the hands of the foe. No message came from
Thrasaric. The time appointed by the King when I was to make the attack
had arrived; in obedience to the order I set forth, though perfectly
aware of the superior strength of the enemy, and though the main body
of the troops under Thrasaric had not come. When we were within an
arrow-shot, the horsemen, the Huns, dashed to the right and left, and
we saw behind them the Thracian infantry, seven ranks deep, who
received us with a hail of arrows. They aimed at the horses; mine, the
foremost, and all in the front rank instantly fell. Your brave brother
in the second rank, himself wounded by a shaft, lifted me with great
difficulty on his own charger--I could not stand--and rescued me. The
Huns now bore down upon us from both flanks; the Thracians pressed
forward from the front with levelled spears. Not a hundred of my two
thousand men are still alive." He groaned in anguish.

"But tell me how came Ammata,--against Gelimer's command, in spite of
Thrasaric's guard--?" asked Hilda.

"It happened in this way," said the G