righteous one--perhaps it is so."

"Well, then," said Hilda, "will not God, who, you say, is just and good,
give victory to the righteous cause?"

"He may be pleased to do so; but He does not always do so. For His own
good and wise ends He sometimes permits the righteous to suffer defeat,
and wrongdoers to gain the victory. This only do I know for certain,
that good shall come out of all things to His people, whether these
things be grievous or joyful; for it is written, `All things work
together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called,
according to His purpose.' This is my consolation when I am surrounded
by darkness which I cannot understand, and which seems all against me.
That things often pass my understanding does not surprise me; for it is
written, `His ways are wonderful--past finding out.'"

"Past finding out indeed!" said Hilda thoughtfully. "Would that I had
faith like thine, Christian; for it seems to enable thee to trust and
rejoice in darkness as well as in sunshine."

"Thou mayst have it, daughter," answered the hermit earnestly, "if thou
wilt condescend to ask it in the name of Jesus; for it is written,
`Faith is the gift of God;' and again it is written, `Whatsoever ye
shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you.' One of our chief
sins consists in our desire to produce, by means of our own will, that
faith which God tells us we cannot attain to by striving after, but
which He is willing to bestow as a free gift on those who ask."

The conversation was interrupted here by the old house-carle Finn the
One-eyed, who said in passing that he was going down to the cliffs to
see and hear what was doing, and would return ere long to report
progress. For an hour after that, the people at Haldorstede continued
to watch the fight with intense interest; but although they could see
the motion of the ships on the fiord, and could hear the shout of war,
as it came floating down on the breeze like a faint murmur, the distance
was too great to permit of their distinguishing the individual
combatants, or observing the progress of the fight. That it was likely
to go ill with their friends, however, was soon made known by Finn, who
returned in hot haste to warn them to prepare for flight.

"Be sure," said Dame Herfrida, "that there is no need to flee until
Haldor or Erling come to tell us to get ready."

"That may be so," said Finn; "but if Haldor and Erling should chance to
be sl