unconcernedly, when a whinny from a horse standing before a door
caught his ear, and he stopped.

"Light of my eyes, I've seen this beast before," he muttered, going
closer to look. "Why, sure, he's the horse of that long-legged
yellow-head of mine. Ay, here's the brand I noted on the shoulder.
So--we shall see what we shall see."

He knocked boldly upon the door. The wicket opened.

"What will you?" a woman's voice asked from within.

"A friend of mine entered here a little time ago," Wulf began glibly.

"Many have entered here," said the voice. "Who is your friend?"

Wulf's laugh covered a moment of embarrassment.

"Why, in truth, I do not care to name his name aloud," he said. "If you
will let me in, I will see if he be still here."

The door opened. Wulf stepped inside, confronting a tall girl,
full-throated, long-limbed, with face of purest Grecian outline. Wulf's
single keen glance took in the girl, her attire, and the room behind
her. His manner changed at once.

"Your friend may not be here," said the girl.

Wulf advanced.

"In truth, I shall not miss him overmuch. Might a weary man purchase
food, and a drop of wine, and perhaps a lodging for the night?" He
jingled coins in the pouch which hung at his leathern belt.

The girl eyed him.

"You know that you may," she said, very wearily, and crossed the room
and opened a door into an inner chamber.

Here the air was heavy with the smell of food and the fumes of wine.
There were many people in the room,--men and women; yet in the first
glance he cast around Wulf saw his long-legged yellow-head reclining at
ease upon a couch, his arm around a slim golden beauty who sat beside
him. In his free hand Wardo clutched a brazen beaker, which the girl
filled constantly from a fat-sided ampulla on her knee. From time to
time she stroked back the fair hair on his temples, and each time he
raised his half-drunken head to kiss her shapely arm.

Wulf nodded to one or two men in the room, his face betraying no
surprise that he found them there. He bade the dark-haired Greek girl
bring wine and two cups. While she was gone a man and a woman slipped
away through one of the several side doors, leaving vacant the place
next to Wardo. At once Wulf possessed himself of it, without glancing at
his neighbor. The Greek returned, and he pulled her down beside him, had
her drink with him, kissed her arms and hands with his red-bearded
mouth, made love to her with jests and