money to pay for
them. He borrowed on his property, and borrowed again to repay the
first loans; he had ventures at sea, which failed him. He might have
had help from his sons, but would not ask them. When Gudrid was
fifteen years old these things vexed him sadly; but what vexed him more
was that young men came to Bathbrink to see if they could get speech
with her; and that some of them put forward friends with proposals to
marry her. So far he had refused to treat with any. "It is not to be
thought of," he generally said; sometimes, "It is very unsuitable"; and
once, "I am greatly offended." Not that he did not fully intend to
have her married--rather it was that he had a rooted belief in the
greatness of his family and in the girl's merits, and could find none
of the suitors at all equal to them.

He was one of those men who rather wish to believe in themselves than
do it. He was always on the look-out for flaws upon his mettle. He
thought that Gudrid was unapproachable, and when he found that she was
not, fretted to make her so. But Gudrid herself was not at all
unapproachable. She liked the company of her equals in age, and saw no
reason why young men should not be anxious to talk to her, or why, if
they hung about with the generality at the lower end of the hall, they
should not be invited to the fire. With the girls in the bower she
talked freely of courtships, and of young men. Thorbeorn would have
been cut to the heart to hear her. It might have been better for him
to have such a wound than the wound which actually he did receive.

He was riding home late one autumn evening. The weather was still mild
and warm. Nearing home, he turned his horse on to the turf and walked
him, with the reins hanging loose. Presently he was aware of two
figures together under a clump of trees. One of them he saw at once
for Gudrid. The other was a man, he knew not whom. Immediately hot
water sprang into his eyes and veiled their sight, but he saw enough to
guess more.

The pair were taking leave of each other. Their hands were clasped,
their arms at length. They were far apart, the man talking, Gudrid
listening. Then presently the strain on the arms relaxed, their
clasped hands fell; they were near together. Gudrid, he saw, hung her
head--and then, suddenly, the man put his other arm about her neck, and
drew her to him and kissed her cheek. At that she broke away and ran
towards the house. The man, looki