ned to look at
their young mistress. But there was a whisper growing among them.

Now Arnkel came back to the table and set his hands on it, for they
shook, and stared at Gerda without finding a word in answer. The
courtmen were looking at him now, and her name was passing among
them in undertones. It was in Arnkel's power to make the best of
the return if he would.

"Friends," said Gerda, "yonder man sent me to what he deemed my
death in the ship which bore Thorwald to sea. Will you welcome me
back, if he will not?"

Then there was a great shout from the men who loved her, and I
thought that all was well. But suddenly that shout stilled, for
Arnkel's voice came loud over it all.

"Hold, you fools," he cried. "Look at yon armed men. This is a
trick of theirs. They have your lady captive, and now will win the
place if you suffer them.

"Here, you great warrior, who are you?"

He pointed to me, and the colour was coming back to his face, while
his eyes were fierce. He would make one bid for his power yet.

"I am Malcolm of Caithness, the jarl," I answered. "I am the
champion of Queen Gerda, whom I and my comrade here saved from the
ship in which you would have burned her.

"Listen, Thorwald's men. We took her, well nigh dead, from the
chamber where your king was laid. See, what are these arms I wear?
They will prove it, for they came thence, and are her gift."

"Aye," he sneered in a harsh voice, "you took them at the same time
you took the girl.

"To your arms, men, and see that these robbers do not escape."

The courtmen sprang at their weapons, and there was uproar enough.
For a moment I could not tell what might come, and my hand was on
my sword hilt, though I would not draw the weapon yet. Then came
Gerda's clear voice again.

"To me, Gerda's men," she cried, and her sword flashed out. "He
lies, and you know it."

Three men led a rush down the hall to us, and one was lame. They
were my Caithness men who had escaped from Asbiorn here. After and
with them were a dozen older courtmen of Thorwald's. The women
screamed and shrank back against the walls of the hall, hiding
behind the tables. We had naught to fear from the thralls here, for
they were shouting for Gerda.

One of Eric's men leaned over to Arnkel and spoke to him. Then he
shook his head and scowled at him, and stood up and raised his
hand.

"Here," he said, when a silence fell, "I am a stranger, and it
seems to me that there is matter for