e deed of ruth may help me. Now go, lest I become weak
again. Lonely shall I be, for you take all that I hold dear--but
even that is well."

So he turned from me, and I went out without a word, for he was
Ingvar. Yet sometimes I wish that I had bidden him farewell, when
the thought of his dark face comes back to me as I saw him for the
last time in his own hall, leaning away from me over his carven
chair, and very still.

I sought Thormod, and told him that he must see the king with his
tidings, for I would not see his face again.

"Nor shall we see Jutland again," he said, pointing to the ship,
which lay now in the same place where the pirate had been,
alongside Ingvar's. And the other ship had come in during the
night, and was at anchor in the haven.

"Shall we sail home at once?" I asked him.

"Aye; no use in waiting. We are wanted at Guthrum's side, and can
take no men, but a few boys back. Yet the other ship will stay
while I send messengers inland, if Ingvar will not. But I shall
return no more."

"Then," said I, "I will speak to the Lady Osritha."

"Go at once," he said, smiling; "bid her come with us to the better
home we have found."

I had not seen Osritha since I left her yesterday, and now I feared
a little, not knowing how she would look on things.

Yet I need not have feared, for when they took me to her bower she
rose up and came to me, falling on my neck and weeping, and I knew
that I had found her again not to part with her.

When she grew calmer, I asked her if she would return with us to
Reedham, telling her how there would be no fear of war there in the
time to come. And she held her peace, so that I thought she would
not, and tried to persuade her, telling her what a welcome would be
to her from all our folk, and also from the Danish people who loved
her so well.

So I went on, until at last she raised her head, smiling at me.

"Surely I will follow you--let me be with you where you will."

So it came to pass that next day we sailed, Osritha taking her four
maidens with her, for they would not leave her; having, moreover,
somewhat to draw them overseas even as I had been drawn to this
place again. And with us went close on a score of women and
children whose menfolk were settled already near to Reedham. These
were the first who came into our land, but they were not to be the
last.

I had seen Ingvar no more, busying myself about fitting the ship
with awnings and the like for thes