d man thou wouldst find reason in this for
being glad," replied Ada. "Is not the chance of a fight the joy of a
true Norseman's heart? Surely a spell must have been laid on thee, if
thy brow darkens and thy heart grows heavy on hearing of a stout enemy.
It is not thus with Erling the Bold. His brow clears and his eye
sparkles when a foe worthy of--But what seest thou, Glumm? Has the Dane
appeared in the forest that thy brow becomes so suddenly clouded? I
pray thee do not run away and leave me unprotected."

"Doubtless if I did, Erling the Bold would come to thine aid," replied
the young man with some asperity.

"Nay, do not be angry with me, Glumm," said the girl, laughing, as they
reached the field where Haldor and his stout son were busily at work
assisting Ulf, who, with all his thralls and freemen, was engaged in
cutting and gathering in his hay.

"Hey! here come cloud and sunshine hand in hand," cried Erling, pausing
in his work, as Glumm and his pretty companion approached the scene of
labour.

"Get on with thy work, then, and make the hay while I am shining,"
retorted Ada, bestowing on the youth a bright smile, which he returned
cheerfully and with interest.

This was the wicked Ada's finishing touch. Glumm saw the exchange of
smiles, and a pang of fierce jealousy shot through his breast.

"The cloud sometimes darts out lightning," he muttered angrily, and,
turning on his heel, began to toss the hay with all his might in order
to relieve his feelings.

Just then Hilda entered the field, and Glumm, putting strong constraint
on himself, accosted her with extreme cheerfulness and respect--resolved
in his heart to show Ada that there were other girls in Horlingdal worth
courting besides herself. In this game he was by no means successful as
regarded Ada, who at once discerned his intention, but the shaft which
flew harmlessly past her fixed itself deep in the breast of another
victim. Glumm's unusual urbanity took the kind-hearted Hilda so much by
surprise, that she was interested, and encouraged him, in what she
conceived to be a tendency towards improvement of disposition, by
bestowing on him her sweetest smiles during the course of the day,
insomuch that Erling the Bold became much surprised, and at last
unaccountably cross.

Thus did these two men, who had for many years been fast and loving
friends, become desperately jealous, though each sought to conceal the
fact from the other. But the gree