e to
none but ourselves, and the time fled unheeded by us.

Whereby it came to pass that presently came footsteps through the
woods, and here were Hakon and Bertric smiling at us, and Gerda was
blushing, though she would not leave my side. Bertric laughed
lightly when he met us.

"Hakon," he said, "I told you that there would be no trouble in
this matter. Now, Lady Gerda, and you, comrade, I am going to be
the first to wish you all happiness. And I will say that thus our
voyage ends even as it ought."

"It is not ended yet," said Hakon. "Still it remains for Malcolm to
win her home back for his bride that shall be, though that may be
easy."

Then he, too, spoke words of kindness to us both, and they were
good to hear; until at last he would tell us news which had come
from Thrandheim for himself, and that also was of the best.

The land had risen for him at the first sound of his name. Eric was
far away to the south and east, in the Wick, fighting with men who
would not bow to him, and all went well. The ships would go up to
the ancient town on the morning's tide.

"But now," he said, "I have no one to send with Gerda, for Thoralf
will take his wife and daughter with us. Will she wait here for the
winter, or will she sail, as once before, with you two to serve and
guard her?"

"Let us sail at once, King Hakon," she said, laughing. "It would be
impossible for me to wish for better care than that I have learned
to value most of all."

"Nay, but you shall be better attended at this time," Hakon said,
smiling.

And so in the end we learned that the matter had already been
arranged in all haste, for they had found two maidens to attend
Gerda, and the rough after cabin of the ship had been made somewhat
more fitting for her by the time we sailed in the morning.

Now we took Gerda back to Thoralf's wife, and thence I fled with
Bertric to the ship, there being more to say than I cared to listen
to. Dalfin sat on the deck, and he rose up sadly to greet us, with
a half groan.

"Good luck to you," he said, gripping my hand. "I have heard the
news. On my word, it was as well that we had no chance to get to my
father's court, or I should have been your rival, and there would
have been a fight. I will not say that it might not be a relief to
break the head of someone even now--but that may pass. The luck of
the torque has left me."

"Come with us after all," I said. "No doubt Arnkel will be willing
to give you just