n from you?"

"We had not thought of it, lady. We have been on board the ship but
three hours or so. What thought might have come to us I cannot say.
But it is not ours, and we could not rob the dead."

He said that quite simply, and as the very truth, which must be to
us as a matter of honour.

"Tell me who you are," she said. "The prince I know already.
Dalfin, I think it was, an Irish name."

Dalfin bowed again, well pleased. Then he took on himself to make
us known in turn, as gravely as if in his father's court.

"This is my host, Malcolm, son of the Norse Jarl of Caithness, who
has unfortunately succeeded his brave father after a gallant fight,
in which I was honoured in taking part. This is Bertric the Thane,
of Lyme, in England, a shipmaster of long standing. He joined us
when we two escaped from Heidrek, who calls himself the Seafarer,
and held us captive after burning out my host and his folk."

"Heidrek the Seafarer!" she said, with a sharp sigh, looking up in
wonder at us. "When was it that he did this harm to you?"

"It was three days ago," I answered. "He fell on us at dawn, and by
noon we were at sea with him as captives. That same night we
escaped, thanks to the young chief, Asbiorn."

"Then he came straightway from your home and fell on mine," she
said gravely. "Surely the wrath of the Asir will fall on Heidrek
ere long, if, indeed, the Asir care aught what a warrior does of
wrong."

"Has he burnt you out also, lady?" asked Dalfin.

"That I doubt," she answered shortly. "But it was with his help
that I myself was set afloat to be burned."

Then her strength seemed to give way at last as the fullness of her
trouble came to her, and she turned from us and sank down sideways
on the bed where she sat, and wept silently. It was hard for us to
stand and see this; but we were helpless, not at all knowing what
we could do. I suppose that we could have done nothing, in truth;
but it seemed as if we ought to have been of some help in word, at
least.

At last she ceased, and sat up again, trying to smile.

"Yesterday, I had thought myself far from such foolishness as
this," she said. "Today, I know that this mail and helm of mine and
the sword that lies yonder in the chamber where you found me are
not fitting for me. They are an idle boast and empty. I am only a
weak woman--and alone."

Almost was she to breaking down again, but she was brave. And then
Bertric spoke for the three of us.

"Lady