hast thrust thyself here against my will and, if I may, I would see thy
face no more."

"Wouldst thou see Eric's face, Gudruda?--say, wouldst see Eric's face? I
tell thee it is fair!"

But Gudruda answered nothing, and Swanhild fell back, laughing.

Now the feast began, and men waxed merry. But ever Gudruda's heart grew
heavier, for in it echoed those words that Saevuna had spoken. Her eyes
were dim, and she seemed to see naught but the face of Eric as it had
looked when he came back to her that day on the brink of Goldfoss Falls
and she had thought him dead. Oh! what if he still loved her and were
yet true at heart? Swanhild mocked her!--what if this was a plot of
Swanhild's? Had not Swanhild plotted aforetime, and could a wolf cease
from ravening or a witch from witch-work? Nay, she had seen Eric's
hair--that he had sworn none save she should touch! Perchance he had
been drugged, and the hair shorn from him in his sleep? Too late to
think! Of what use was thought?--beside her sat Ospakar, in one short
hour she would be his. Ah! that she could see him dead--the troll who
had trafficked her to shame, the foe she had summoned in her wrath and
jealousy! She had done ill--she had fallen into Swanhild's snare, and
now Swanhild came to mock her!

The feast went on--cup followed cup. Now they poured the bride-cup!
Before her heart beat two hundred times she would be the wife of
Ospakar!

Blacktooth took the cup--pledged her in it, and drank deep. Then he
turned and strove to kiss her. But Gudruda shrank from him with horror
in her eyes, and all men wondered. Still she must drink the bridal cup.
She took it. Dimly she saw the upturned faces, faintly she heard the
murmur of a hundred voices.

What was that voice she caught above them all--there--without the hall?

Holding the cup in her hand, Gudruda bent forward, staring down the
skali. Then she cried aloud, pointing to the door, and the cup fell
clattering from her hand and rolled along the ground.

Men turned and looked. They saw this: there on the threshold stood a
man, glorious to look at, and from his winged helm of gold the rays of
light flashed through the dusky hall. The man was great and beautiful to
see. He had long yellow hair bound in about his girdle, and in his left
hand he held a pointed shield, in his right a spear, and at his thigh
there hung a mighty sword. Nor was he alone, for by his side, a broad
axe on his shoulder and shield in hand, stood anot