ird
part of the dues and services and fines for the support of his table and
other expenses. Every earl had under him four or more bersers, on each
of whom was bestowed an estate of twenty merks yearly, for which he was
bound to support twenty men-at-arms at his own expense--each earl being
obliged to support sixty retainers. The King increased the land dues
and burdens so much that his earls had greater power and income than the
kings had before, and when this became known at Drontheim many of the
great men of that district joined the King.

Wherever Harald went, submission or extinction were the alternatives;
and as he carried things with a high hand, using fire and sword freely,
it is not a matter of wonder that his conquests were rapid and complete.
It has been said of Harald Fairhair by his contemporaries, handed down
by the scalds, and recorded in the Icelandic Sagas, that he was of
remarkably handsome appearance, great and strong, and very generous and
affable to his men.

But to return.

It was late in the evening, as we have said, when Erling and Glumm
reached the vicinity of Jarl Rongvold's dwelling. Before coming in
sight of it they were met by two of the mounted guards that were posted
regularly as sentries round the King's quarters. These challenged them
at once, and, on being informed that they desired to have speech with
the King on matters of urgency, conveyed them past the inner guard to
the house.

The state of readiness for instant action in which the men were kept did
not escape the observant eyes of the visitors. Besides an outlying
mounted patrol, which they had managed to pass unobserved, and the
sentries who conducted them, they found a strong guard round the range
of farm buildings where the King and his men lay. These men were all
well armed, and those of them who were not on immediate duty lay at
their stations sound asleep, each man with his helmet on his head, his
sword under it, his right hand grasping the hilt, and his shield serving
the purpose of a blanket to cover him.

Although the young men observed all this they did not suffer their looks
to betray idle curiosity, but rode on with stern countenances, looking,
apparently, straight before them, until they reined up at the front door
of the house.

In a few minutes a stout handsome man with white hair came out and
saluted Erling in a friendly way. This was Jarl Rongvold, who was
distantly related to him.

"I would I cou