Danube, and she is still scarcely able to
escape the bite of the Franconians on the Rhine."

"The Goths?" said Ebarbold. "Who knows whether they will be in the
field this year?"

"I do," replied the Duke quietly.

"Can you see from here to Thrace?" sneered Ebarbold: "I cannot."

"But there is One who, from his throne in the clouds, overlooks all
countries: and he revealed it to me."

"But I see the misery the Romans have wrought around us in our own
land," the King continued. "My people have suffered heavily. The
cohorts in passing through burned all the dwellings. My own hall too."

"We will rebuild them," cried Adalo, laughing, as he hung the horn on
the wall. "The forest will not refuse trees to its people. My home
below on the hillock beside the lake"--his face now grew grave--"is
dear to me; sacred the hearth beside which I sat in my dear mother's
lap while my father, skilled in the music of the harp, sung of the gods
and the deeds of our own ancestors. The Centurion will probably soon
hurl the torch into the ancient dwelling of my family with the rune of
the stag's antlers. Never more can I hope to mount the high seat where
I was so often allowed to fill my father's drinking horn. But though
through all the future years I should have no other shelter for this
head than the waving boughs of the woods, never will I yield to the
Italians."

"Yield? The purpose is only to confirm a treaty such as we have often
made."

"And the Romans as often broken," said Adalo.

"Or we ourselves. What is asked of us? Young men to fight the Caesar's
battles. We have more than we can feed. In return they will give us red
gold."

"May Hel swallow up this gold and these treaties!" cried Hariowald.
"For generations they have sold to our ancient foe our heart's blood
and our young heroes, who were used against ourselves and our
neighbors. If the hundreds of thousands who fell for Rome had banded
together against Rome, we should have watered our long-maned horses
long ago in the Gallic sea. But we will not cast aside your words,
Ebarbold. Perhaps I may even consent to send an envoy to the Roman camp
for peace!"

"What! Is that your wish?" cried Adalo impetuously.

"My wish will appear."

"To offer peace? Let them retire? With their booty?"

"It will not be hard to carry." Here a smile which lent the old Duke's
lips a wonderful charm hovered around them. "Six pots in Iburninga and
a broken mead vessel in Mariswik; so two