an through the
ranks, blended with many a loud cry of anger and reproach.

"Silence, all! Silence in the circle, until I ask your judgment,"
shouted the Duke from his lofty stone seat, raising his spear aloft. "I
forbid reproaches; I command peace. You, Fiskulf, what say you to the
charge? Denial, or confession?"

"Confession," replied the fisherman sorrowfully. "It is as the Adeling
said."

"You knew the command?"

"I knew it."

"You broke the command?"

"I broke it. Alas, I am so deeply ashamed. It was from hunger--but not
to satisfy my own. We had lain hidden in the marshland forest for many
nights; the stock of dried fish I had brought in the boat was
exhausted. I repressed my hunger and chewed the tops of the young
reeds. I would not have done it for myself; but my boy, who was with me
(he had just recovered from the fever that lurks in the swamps, and he
is only seven years old), cried so bitterly with hunger, begging and
pleading: 'Father, father, give me something to eat!' It cut me to the
heart! I speared a large pike that was sunning itself near the stone,
cut it in pieces, and meant to give it to the child to eat. But
loathing choked him: he only cried quietly and no longer entreated me.
Then I rubbed two dry sticks together till I kindled a fire, broiled
the fish on the top of the stone, and gave it to the boy to eat. I ate
some myself, too."

"I was forced to accuse him," said Adalo. "But I entreat the assembly
not to punish the man. No harm came from his act. A father--"

"Silence, Accuser," the judge interrupted. "You have made the
complaint; he has confessed: you have nothing more to do here except to
listen to the sentence. I ask: what may follow breaking an order given
to the troops when the enemy is in the country? What? You are silent?
The disobedience might destroy the whole nation. What? You refuse to
point out the law," the old man went on indignantly. "Or do you
gray-beards no longer know what the boys learn? Answer! Point out the
law,--" he rose threateningly,--"or I will tear the shield of the
assembly from the ash and complain to the gods: The Alemanni have
forgotten the laws of their people! What is the punishment of treason
and breaking the oath of service?"

"Death!" now rang forth in many voices.

"I knew it," said the fisherman quietly. "Farewell, countrymen. I wish
you victory and prosperity."

But the Duke continued:

"What death must he die? By the willow-withe? By wat