till pressing Leif's hand.

When the hunter had passed on down the line of the crew, Thorhall came
forward and greeted Leif with great civility. Only as he was retiring
his eye appeared to fall upon Alwin for the first time; he stopped in
pained surprise.

"What is this I see, chief? You have got another bowerman in place of my
son, whom your father gave to you? It must be that Kark has done
something which you dislike. Tell me what it is, and I will slay him
with my own hand."

Again Valbrand looked sideways at his master, as if to remind him that
he had warned him of this. Tyrker began to fumble at his beard with
shaking hands, and to blink across at Eric. This time they had attracted
the Red One's attention. His palm was curved around his ear that he
might not lose a word; his eyes were fastened upon Leif.

The guardsman's face was as inscrutable as the side of his goblet. "If
Kark had deserved to be slain, he would not be living now. He is less
accomplished than this man, therefore I changed them."

The steward bent his head in apparent submission. "Now, as always, you
are right. Rather than a boorish Odin-man, better is it to have a man of
accomplishments,--even though he be a hound of a Christian." He turned
away, as one quite innocent of the barb in his words.

An audible murmur passed down the line of Leif's men. No one doubted
that this was Thorhall's trap to avenge the slights upon his son. Would
the chief let this also pass by? Though their faces remained set to the
front, their eyes slid around to watch him.

Leif drew himself up haughtily and also very quietly. "It is unadvisable
for you to speak such words to me," he said. "I also am a Christian."

Flint had struck steel. Eric leaped to his feet in a blaze.

"Say that again!"

Thorwald and a dozen of the guests shook their heads frantically at him,
but Leif repeated the declaration.

Crash! Down went Eric's goblet, to shiver into a thousand pieces on the
table edge. With a furious curse he flung himself back in his chair, and
leaned there, panting and glaring.

A hum of voices arose around the room. Men called out soothing words to
the Red One and expostulations to Leif. Others felt furtively for their
weapons. Some of the women turned pale and clung to each other. Helga
arose, her beautiful face shining like a star, and left their ranks and
came over and seated herself on Leif's foot-stool, though the voice of
Thorhild rose high and shrill i