teinar
and that----," and she used a harsh word of Iduna. "Oh! I saw it coming,
and yet I dared not warn you. I feared lest I might be wrong and put
doubts into your heart against your foster-brother and your wife without
cause. May Odin destroy them both!"

"Speak not so roughly, Freydisa," I said. "Ragnar was right about Iduna.
Her beauty never blinded him as it did me, and he read her truly. Well,
she did but follow her nature; and as for Steinar, she fooled him as she
has the power to do by any man, save Ragnar. Doubtless he will repent
bitterly ere all is done. Also I think that necklace from the grave is
an evil magic."

"It is like you, Olaf, to find excuse even for sin that cannot be
forgiven. Not but what I hold with you that Steinar has been led away
against his will, for I read it in his face. Well, his life must pay the
price of it, for surely he shall bleed on Odin's altar. Now, be a man.
Come out and face your trouble. You are not the first that a woman has
fooled, nor will you be the last. Forget love and dream of vengeance."

"I cannot forget love, and I do not wish for vengeance, especially
against Steinar, who is my foster-brother," I answered wearily.

CHAPTER V

THE BATTLE ON THE SEA

On the morrow Thorvald, my father, sent messengers to the head men of
Agger, telling them of all that he and his House had suffered at the
hands of Steinar, whereof those of their folk who had been present at
the feast could bear witness. He added that if they stood by Steinar in
his wickedness and treachery, thenceforward he and the men of the North
would be their foes and work them mischief by land and sea.

In due course these messengers returned with the tale that the head men
of Agger had met together and deposed Steinar from his lordship over
them, electing another man, a nephew of Steinar's father. Also they sent
a present of gold rings in atonement for the wrong which had been done
to the house of Thorvald by one of their blood, and prayed that Thorvald
and the northern men would bear them no ill will for that in which they
were blameless.

Cheered by this answer, which halved the number of their foes,
my father, Thorvald of Aar, and those Over-men of whom he was the
High-lord, began to make their preparations to attack Athalbrand on his
Island of Lesso. Of all these things Athalbrand learned by his spies,
and later, when the warships were being prepared and manned, two
messengers came from him, ol