ho sought my life, who turns his face
from me when I sit at his board, who allows his servants to insult me.
Sometimes I think it would be easier to bear the martyrdom of the
blessed saints!" He made a sudden fierce movement in his chair, as
though the fire in his veins had leaped out and burnt his flesh.

Then, for the first time, Alwin understood. He bent before him, rebuked
and humbled.

"Lord, I see that I have done wrong. I ask you to pardon it. Say what
you would have me do."

"Put my commands ahead of your desires, as I put King Olaf's wish before
my pride, and as he sets the will of God before his will."

"I promise I will not fail you again, lord."

"See that you do not," Leif answered, with a touch of sternness.

CHAPTER XVI

A COURTIER OF THE KING

A better burden
No man bears on the way
Than much good sense;
That is thought better than riches
In a strange place:
Such is the recourse of the indigent.
Ha'vama'l

The next afternoon when Helga came out to water the linen, she found
Alwin waiting for her, on the pretext of hunting in the long grass for a
lost arrow-head.

He greeted her gayly: "I will offer you three chances to guess my news."

She paused, with her twig broom raised and dripping, and scanned him
eagerly. "Is it anything about the ship that came yesterday? I heard
among the women that it is the war-vessel of Eric's kinsman, Thorkel
Farserk, just come back from ravaging the Irish coast. Is his wife going
to make a feast to welcome him?"

"I will not deny that you have proved a good guesser. And, by Dunstan!
he deserves to be received well. Never saw I such a sight as that
landing! There were more slaves than there were men in the crew. Not a
man but had a bloody bandage on his head or his body, and the arms and
legs of some were lacking. Two of the crew were not there at all, and
their sweethearts had come down to the shore to meet them; and when they
found that they had been slain, they tore their hair and tried to kill
themselves with knives."

"That was foolish of them," said Helga, calmly. "Better was it that
their lovers should die in good repute than live in the shame of
cowardice. But tell me the news. Has it happened, as I supposed, that
there is going to be a feast, and Leif is asked to it?"

"Messengers came this morning from Farserk's wife. But you dare not
guess the rest."

"I dare throw this pan of water over you if you do n