rises,
which it should do soon. When the wind has driven away the clouds it
will show us our path, but if we go on in this darkness we shall fall
into some pit. It is not cold to-night, and you will take no harm."

"No, indeed," I answered, "for now I am as strong again as ever I was."

So we stayed till the lightning, flashing for the last time, showed us
a man and a woman standing quite close to us, although we had not heard
them because of the wind. They were Steinar and Iduna, talking together
eagerly, with their faces very near to each other. At the same moment
they saw us. Steinar said nothing, for he seemed confused, but Iduna ran
to us and said:

"Thanks be to the gods who send you, Olaf. The great storm caught us at
Odin's temple, where we were forced to shelter. Then, fearing that you
would grow frightened, we started, and lost our way."

"Is it so?" I answered. "Surely Steinar would have known this road even
in the dark. But what matter, since I have found you?"

"Aye, he knew as soon as we saw this grave mound. But Steinar was
telling me that some ghost haunts it, and I begged him to stay awhile,
since there is nothing I desire so much as to see a ghost, who believe
little in such things. So he stayed, though he says he fears the dead
more than the living. Freydisa, they tell me that you are very wise.
Cannot you show me this ghost?"

"The spirit does not ask my leave to appear, lady," answered Freydisa
in her quiet voice. "Still, at times it does appear, for I have seen it
twice. So let us bide here a little on the chance."

Then she went forward a few steps and began to mutter to herself.

Some minutes later the clouds broke and the great moon was seen riding
low down in a clear sky, illumining the grave mound and all the plain,
save where we stood in the shadow of the mount.

"Do you see aught?" asked Freydisa presently. "If not, let us be gone,
for when the Wanderer comes at all it is at the rising of the moon."

Steinar and Iduna answered, "No," but I, who did see something, said:

"Look yonder among the shadows. Mayhap it is a wolf stirring. Nay, it is
a man. Look, Iduna."

"I look and find nothing," she answered.

"Look again," I said. "He reaches the top of the mount and stands there
staring towards the south. Oh! now he turns, and the moonlight shines
upon his face."

"You dream, Olaf," said Steinar. "If you do not dream, tell us of the
likeness of this spirit."

"Its likeness," I