een burnt houses in East Anglia."

"In Reedham?" said I.

"Wherever this Beorn had a house; and at Caistor where that old
fool Ulfkytel lives, and maybe at one or two other places on the
way thither. And I think your father and Egfrid your brother would
have helped me, or I them."

So he doubted me not at all, any more than I should have doubted
his tale, were he in my place and I in his.

Then I said that I myself had no grudge against Earl Ulfkytel, for
he had sent me here.

"Why then, no more have I," answered Halfden; "for he is a wiseacre
and an honest one, and maybe meant kindly. Ingvar would have slain
both guilty and innocent, and told them to take their wrangle
elsewhere, to Hela or Asgard as the way might lead them."

Now as he said that, I, who looked ever on the face of her whom I
loved, saw that a new fear had come into Osritha's heart, and that
she feared somewhat for me. Nor could I tell what it was. But
Halfden and I went on talking, and at last she could not forbear a
little sob, and at that Halfden asked what ailed her.

"May I speak to you, my brother, very plainly, of one thing that I
dread?" she asked, drawing closer to him.

"Aye, surely," he answered in surprise.

"Remember you the words that Ingvar said to the priest of the White
Christ who came from Ansgar at Hedeby {xv}, while our father
was away in the ships?"

"Why, they were like words. He bade him go and settle the matter
with Odin whom he would not reverence, and so slew him."

"Aye, brother. And he said that so he would do to any man who would
not honour the gods."

"Why do you remember that, Osritha?"

"Because--because there will be the great sacrifice tomorrow, and
Wulfric, your friend, is not of our faith."

Then Halfden was silent, looking across at me, and all at once I
knew that here was a danger greater than any I had yet been
through. Fire I had passed through, and water, and now it was like
to be trial by steel. And the first had tried my courage, and the
next my endurance, as I thought; but this would try both, and my
faith as well.

"That is naught," said Halfden, lightly. "It is but the signing of
Thor's hammer, and I have seen Wulfric do that many a time, only
not quite in our way, thus;" and he signed our holy sign all
unknowing, or caring not. "And to eat of the horse that is
sacrificed--why, you and I, Wulfric, did eat horse on the Frankish
shores; and you thought it good, being nigh starved--you reme