nd
imprisoned. "That would stop everything," he thought, and moved away.

In a tavern of a by-street, a long lean youth, threadbare and tipsy,
formerly a student and latterly expelled from the college for
drunkenness, told him that the new Governor turned in at the Latin
school every evening at dusk, to inspect the drill of the regiment he
had enrolled. So to the Latin school at dusk Jason made his way, but
the place was dark and silent when he came upon it, and from a lad
who was running out at the moment he heard that the drill-sergeant
had fallen ill, and the drill been discontinued.

On the wharf by the jetty the boatman who had recognized him on
landing, old Jon Olafsson, told him that serving whiting and skate to
the Bishop's Palace he found that the new Governor was ever coming
and going there. Now of all houses Jason had most avoided that house,
lest he should be seen of those eyes that would surely read his
mission at a glance. Yet as night fell in, and he might approach the
place with safety, he haunted the ways that led to it. But never
again did he see Michael Sunlocks even in the uncertain darkness, and
thinking how hard it was to set eyes on this man, whom he must know
of a surety before ever his enterprise could be ripe, a secret dread
took hold of him, and he all but renounced his design. "Why is it
that I cannot see him?" he thought. "Why, of all men in the town, is
he the only one whom I can never meet face to face? Why, of all men
here, am I the only one whom he has never seen?" It was as if higher
powers were keeping them apart.

By this time he realized that he was being observed, for in the dusk,
on the Thingvellir road, that led past Government House, three men
overtook him, and went on to talk with easy confidence in signs and
broken words. He saw that they were Danes; that one was old and
white-headed; another was young, sallow, and of a bitter spirit; and
the third, who was elderly, was of a meek and quiet manner.

"How are they going on in the old country? Anything done yet? When
are they coming?" said the young man.

"Ah, don't be afraid," said the old man. "We know you are watching
him," he added, with a side-long motion of the head towards
Government House. "But he will send no more of our sons and brothers
to the sulphur mines, to slave like beasts of burden. His days are
numbered."

Then the young man laughed bitterly.

"They say he is to be married. Let him make merry while he m