dsome, and like Grim
in ways, for he was his brother's son.

"Lucky am I in finding you astir," he said. "I thought I should have had
to wake you all. Are you just home from sea, or just going out?"

"Not long home," answered Leva; "but what has brought you?"

"I have a guest for you, if I may bring one here at this hour."

"A friend of yours never comes at the wrong time," Grim said. "Why not
bring him in?"

"If it were a friend of mine and a man he would do well enough at my
house for the night," said Arngeir, smiling; "but the one for whom I
have come is a lady, and, I think, one in sore trouble."

"Who is she?" asked my mother, wondering much.

"From the king's town, certainly," answered Arngeir, "but I do not know
her name. Truth to tell, I forgot to ask it, for she is sorely spent;
and so I made haste to come to you."

Then Leva would know how a lady came at this time to Arngeir's house,
for he was alone, save for his four men, being an orphan without other
kin beside us, and his house was close to our shipyard and the sea.

"She came not to me, but I found her," he replied. "My horse is sick,
and I must get up an hour ago and see to it for the second time tonight.
Then as I came from the stable I saw someone go towards the shipyard,
and, as I thought, into the open warehouse. It was dark, and I could not
tell then if this was man or woman; but I knew that no one had business
there, and there are a few things that a thief might pick up. So I took
an axe and one of the dogs, and went to see what was on hand, but at
first there was naught to be found of anyone. If it had not been for the
dog, I think that I should have gone away, but he went into the corner
where the bales of wool are set, and there he whined strangely, and when
I looked, there was this lady on the bales, and she was weeping and sore
afraid. So I asked her what was amiss, and it was not easy to get an
answer at first. But at last she told me that she had escaped from the
burning of the king's town, and would fain be taken across the sea into
some place of peace. So I cheered her by saying that you would surely
help her; and then I took her to my house and came to you. Worn and rent
are her garments, but one may see that they have been rich, and I deem
her some great lady."

"Go and bring her here, husband," said my mother, on hearing that.

But he was already going, and at once he and Arngeir went out and down
the street. There were many