is dreams. Presently he
opened his eyes and stared at the fire which glowed in the mouth of the
cave, and the great shadows that fell upon the rocks.

"Strange!" she heard him murmur, "it is very strange! but I dreamed I
slept, and that Gudruda the Fair leaned over me as I slept. Where, then,
is Skallagrim? Perhaps I am dead and that is Hela's fire," and he tried
to lift himself upon his arm, but fell back from faintness, for he was
very weak. Then Gudruda took his hand, and, leaning over him, spoke:

"Hush, Eric!" she said; "that was no dream, for I am here. Thou hast
been sick to death, Eric; but now, if thou wilt rest, things shall go
well with thee."

"_Thou_ art here?" said Eric, turning his white face towards her. "Do I
still dream, or how comest thou here to Mosfell, Gudruda?"

"I came through the snows, Eric, to cut thy hair, which clung to the
festering wound, for in thy madness thou wouldst not suffer anyone to
touch it."

"Thou camest through the snows--over the snows--to nurse me, Gudruda?
Thou must love me much then," and he was so weak that, as he spoke, the
tears rolled down Eric's cheeks.

Then Gudruda kissed him, weeping also, and, laying her face by his, bade
him be at peace, for she was there to watch him.

XXVIII

HOW SWANHILD WON TIDINGS OF ERIC

Now Eric's strength came back to him and his heart opened in the light
of Gudruda's eyes like a flower in the sunshine. For all day long she
sat at his side, holding his hand and talking to him, and they found
much to say.

But on the fifth day from the day of his awakening she spoke thus:

"Eric, now I must go back to Middalhof. Thou art safe and it is not well
that I should stay here."

"Not yet, Gudruda," he said; "leave me not yet."

"Yes, love, I must leave thee. The moon is bright, the sky has cleared,
and the snow is hard with frost and fit for the hoofs of horses. I must
go before more storms come. Listen now: in the second week of spring,
if all is well, I will send thee a messenger with words of token, then
shalt thou come down secretly to Middalhof, and there, Eric, we will be
wed. Then, on the next day, we will sail for England in a trading-ship
that I shall get ready, to seek our fortune there."

"It will be a good fortune if thou art by my side," said Eric, "so
good that I doubt greatly if I may find it, for I am Eric the Unlucky.
Swanhild must yet be reckoned with, Gudruda. Yes, thou art right: thou
must go hence, Gudr