cy blast, that
came just then through the opening door, had frozen all the life in the
room. Then a voice called out that the thrall was lying to cover his
master; and Eric's laughter burst out anew, and the jeering redoubled.

But Alwin's voice rose high above it. "Fools! Is it worth while for me
to give my life for a lie? Ask Sigurd Haraldsson, if you will not
believe me. He knows that I went there on Yule Eve, to ask concerning my
freedom. The knife slipped from my belt as I was climbing the rocks.
Leif knew of it no more than you. Ask Sigurd Haraldsson, if you will not
believe me."

Sigurd rose and tried to speak, but his tongue had become like a
withered leaf in his mouth, so that he could only bow his head.

Yet from him, that was enough. Such an uproar of delight broke from
Leif's men as drowned all the jeering that had gone before, and made the
rafters ring with exulting. Alwin knew that, whatever else he would have
to bear, at least that lie was not upon him, and he drew a deep breath
of relief. All the light did not die out of his face, even when Leif
stepped out of the shadow of the door and stood before him.

She had not spoken falsely who had said that the fire of Eric burned in
the veins of his son. In his white-hot anger, the guardsman's face was
terrible. Death was in his stern-set mouth, and death blazed from his
eyes. Rolf, Sigurd, Helga, even Valbrand, cried out for mercy; but Alwin
read the look aright, and asked for nothing that was not there.

While their cries were still in the air, Leif's blade leaped from its
scabbard, quivered in the light, and flashed down, biting through fur
and hair and flesh and bone. Without a sound, Alwin fell forward
heavily, and lay upon his face at his master's feet.

That all men might know whose hand had done the deed, Leif flung the
dripping sword down beside its victim, and without speaking, strode out
of the room.

Then a strange thing happened. Helga ran over to where the lifeless heap
lay in a widening pool of blood, and raised the wounded head in her
arms, and rained down upon the still white face such tears as no one had
ever thought to see her shed. When Thorhild came to take her away, she
cried out, so that every one could hear:

"Do you not understand?--I loved him. I did not find it out until now. I
loved him with all my heart, and now he will never know! I--loved him."

CHAPTER XXI

THE HEART OF A SHIELD-MAIDEN

Cattle die,
Kin