king who seemed to
humble himself in fear before a long-robed man priestlike.

He did not stir when we came in, nor did he say a word. Only he
looked at Ealdwulf, as it were blindly, waiting what he should hear
from his lips. And into his look there crept somewhat like fear.

But there was naught terrible or hard in the face which he looked
on; it had but deepest sorrow and pity.

"My king," said Ealdwulf, seeing that he must needs speak first,
"here is one who has a word for you. I think that you will be glad
to hear it. Know you where the body of Ethelbert was hidden?"

"No," said the king in a dull voice. "My men search even now. It is
all that I can do."

Then Ealdwulf bade me tell the story of the finding, and I did so.
Yet the look of Offa never brightened as he heard, nor did he ask
me one question.

"It is well," he said, when I had no more to say, and his fingers
moved restlessly on the table.

But he did not look in my face, nor had he done so since I came
before him. I stood back, and Ealdwulf was alone near him.

"My son," said the old man, "my son, this has not been your doing.
I will not believe that."

Offa set his hand on the great book with its picture.

"As much my doing as the slaying of the Hittite by David the king.
It was planned, and I hindered it not."

Then he set his hands to his face, and his voice softened. And at
that I passed silently from the room, leaving those two together,
for this was not a meeting in which I had wish to meddle. Erling
came with me, and we sat in the council chamber for half an hour,
waiting.

Presently--after the young thane had told us how that Quendritha
was closely guarded, and that the voice of all blamed her utterly
for every wrong that had been wrought in Mercia for many a long
year, now that the fear of her was somewhat passed--Erling rose up.

"With your leave, thane," he said to me, "we have a few things left
here, and our other horses still stand in the stable. It is in my
mind to see what I can take back with me."

We went out together, for the stillness and waiting grew wearisome.
There were none of the pleasant sounds of the household at work or
sport in all the palace. It was as a place stricken with some
plague.

So we passed through the church to our lodging, and took our few
goods, and Sighard's, and so went with them to the long stables
where our two spare horses stood in idleness. The rows of stalls
were well-nigh empty now, tho