loudly, and the
summons brought the warder to the little window over the postern gate.

"Who are you, and what do you seek?" was the cry.

"We are bringing my young lord, Elfric of Aescendune, home from the
battlefield wounded."

"Wait a while."

A few minutes passed; then the drawbridge was lowered, and the bearers
bore their burden into the courtyard. Every moment Elfric expected to
see the beloved faces bending over him; but all seemed strange, till he
remembered that Redwald had remained behind at the hall; the four
bearers spoke uneasily to one another, and Oswy disappeared in the dusky
twilight.

At length three or four men, in the military costume so familiar to
Elfric, approached the litter; and raising him, bore him into the
interior of the building, up the stairs, into the gallery, which partly
ran round at the height of the first floor. The door of a room was
opened, a familiar room; it had been his father's bedroom, and Elfric
was placed on the bed.

"Ask them to come to me," he said "father, mother, Alfred, Edgitha!
--where are they?"

But minute after minute passed by, and no one came near; there was no
light in the room, and it was soon very dark. Elfric became very
uncomfortable; it was not the kind of reception he had promised himself.

"Why does not my father come," he muttered impatiently, "to see his
wounded boy?" and he felt at one moment his pride revive, then a
sickening feeling of anxiety filled his heart.

But it was not until an hour had passed that he heard a heavy step on
the stairs, and soon the door opened, and Redwald appeared.

Elfric. gazed upon him with surprise; especially when he noted the stern
cold look which sat on his features. As Redwald did not speak, Elfric
took the initiative.

"Why is not my father here? I want to see him, Redwald; do send him to
me; say I must see him, I must--I cannot endure this longer; it is
more than I can bear."

"Calm yourself and listen to me, for I have a strange story to unfold to
you."

"Not now; some other time; do send them to me."

"It must be heard now; and perhaps when you have heard it, you will
comprehend why they do not come."

"But they will come?"

"Elfric, there was, two generations back, a man who had two sons; he was
a noble thane of high descent, his eldest son was worthy of his father,
high souled, impetuous, brave, fiery, and in short, all a warrior's son
should be: the younger son had the heart of a monk, and