ly into his heart,
and had produced precisely the opposite effect to that which his cousin
had intended; it seemed as if his cause were thus committed to the great
Being in Whose Hand was the disposal of all things; as if His Honour
were at stake, Whom the murderer had so impiously defied.

"'If there be a God, let Him deliver you,'" repeated Alfred, and it
seemed to him as if a Voice replied, "Is My Arm shortened, that It
cannot save?"

But how salvation was to come, and even in what mode danger was to be
expected, was unknown to them; nay, was even unguessed. They heard the
bustle below, which followed Ragnar's announcement of his intended
departure from Aescendune. They heard the mustering of the horses--and
at last the conviction forced itself upon them that the foe were about
to evacuate the hall. But in that case, how would he inflict his
sentence upon his victims?

The dread truth, the suspicion of his real intention, crept upon the
minds of both Alfred and Oswy. Elfric yet lay insensible, or seemingly
so, upon the bed, lost to all perception of his danger. Alfred sat at
the head of the bed, looking with brotherly love at the prostrate form
of him for whom he was giving his life; but feeling secretly grateful
that there was no painful struggle imminent in his case; that death
itself would come unperceived, without torturing forebodings.

It was at this moment that Oswy, who stood by the window, which was
strongly barred, but which he had opened, for the night was oppressively
warm, caught the faint and distant sound of a mighty host advancing
through the forest; at first it was very faint, and he only heard it
through the pauses in the storm of sound which attended Ragnar's
preparations for departure, but it soon became more distinct, and he
turned to Alfred.

"Listen, my lord, they come to our aid; listen, I hear the army of Edgar."

Alfred rushed to the window, the hope of life strong within him; at
first he could hear nothing for the noise below, but at length there was
a lull in the confusion, and then he heard distinctly the sound of the
coming deliverers. Another minute, and he saw the dark lines leaving the
shadow of the forest, and descending the hill in serried array, then
deploying, as if to surround a foe in stealthy silence; he looked around
for the object, and beheld Ragnar's forces all unconscious of their
danger, not having heard the approach in their own hasty preparations
for departure. An