fe-conduct of the Empress under an oath sworn on the Cross of
the Christ she worships. For instance, also, that I have three hundred
comrades waiting my safe return."

"Three hundred!" snarled the president. "The Empress has three thousand
within these walls who will soon make an end of your three hundred."

"I have been told, lawyer," answered Jodd, "that once there lived
another monarch, one called Xerxes, who thought that he would make an
end of a certain three hundred Greeks, when Greeks were different from
what you are to-day, at a place called Thermopylae. He made an end of
them, but they cost him more than he cared to pay, and now it is those
Greeks who live for ever and Xerxes who is dead. But that's not all;
since that fray the other night we Northmen have found friends. Have you
heard of the Armenian legions, President, those who favour Constantine?
Well, kill Olaf Red-Sword, or kill me, Jodd, and you have to deal first
with the Northmen and next with the Armenian legions. Now here I am
waiting to be taken by any who can pass this axe."

At these words a great silence fell upon the Court. Jodd glared about
him, and, seeing that none ventured to draw near, stepped from the
witness-place, advanced to where I was, gave me the full salute of
ceremony, then marched away to the back of the Court, the crowd opening
a path for him.

When he had gone the judges began to consult together, and, as I
expected, very soon agreed upon their verdict. The president said, or
rather gabbled,

"Prisoner, we find you guilty. Have you any reason to offer why sentence
of death should not be passed upon you?"

"Sir," I answered, "I am not here to plead for my life, which already I
have risked a score of times in the service of your people. Yet I would
say this. On the night of the outbreak I was set on, four to one, for no
crime, as you have heard, and did but protect myself. Afterwards, when I
was about to be slain, the Northmen, my comrades, protected me unasked;
then I did my best to save the life of the Empress, and, in fact,
succeeded. My only offence is that when the great charge took place and
your regiments were defeated, remembering only that I was a soldier, I
led that charge. If this is a crime worthy of death, I am ready to
die. Yet I hold that both God and man will give more honour to me the
criminal than to you the judges, and to those who before ever you sat
in this Court instructed you, whom I know to be but too