say that they succeeded more or less.
Was the giving of the horn by the Welsh girl to be a signal to the
thrall in some way? If there is one thing that a man need not be
ashamed to say that he fears, it is treachery, and I seemed to be
surrounded by it. Hardly could a house-carle come to my door but it
seemed to me that he must needs bring one of these unlucky notes.
It was just as well that I had some unknown friend to write them to
me, though I cannot say that I had profited by them so far.

Now I sent two of my men to see if they could find the cross-eyed
thrall, but of course he was not to be laid hands on. Only the
people who had been at the ealdorman's door seemed to have seen
him, and they could not tell who or whence he was. He was so easily
known, however, that I thought I should be certain to have him
sooner or later. Such a squint as he had is not to be hidden, and
that made the wonder that he had dared to do this all the greater.

I slept on it all, and woke with fewer fears on me, for I was
overwrought yesterday after all the terrible waiting on the cliff
and what went before. It was Sunday, moreover, and the early
services in the new church helped mightily to set a new face on
things. So when I had seen to the few duties of the morning, I went
down the street to ask after Elfrida, being anxious to hear that
her fright had done her no hurt. Erpwald had been there before me,
but I had missed him since.

Elfrida was well, and glad to see me. We sat and talked of
yesterday, and I found that Erpwald had said nothing of how he
saved her, and it was pleasant to tell her of it, while she
listened with eyes that sparkled. It was plain that I could have
found nothing that would please her better than to talk of him. So
I even told her how he had gone over the edge into the cleft, but
without saying that we feared for his life for so long. Then her
father came in, and at once she asked after some sick person.

"How goes it with him now," she said.

"Well enough, says the leech; but he had well-nigh died in the
night."

"What is it that ails him?--Can the leech tell that yet?"

"He has taken somewhat that has poisoned him," the ealdorman
answered. "The leech asked if he had eaten of mushrooms, or rather
toadstools, by mistake."

"But there are none about as yet."

Now I asked who the sick man was, and Herewald told me that he was
such an one who was with us yesterday. I minded him as one who
stood near me