s may go to sleep again. If
Thorhall had been at home, he would have overtaken you before this. His
green eyes are well fitted for spying."

Perhaps it was this reference to green eyes that recalled to Alwin the
scene of the foretelling. Perhaps it had never gone very far out of his
mind.

After they had swung along a while in silent enjoyment of the swift
motion and the answering tingle in their blood, he said abruptly: "It
may be that there was some truth at her tongue-roots, after all."

Sigurd made a sly move with his staff, so that the other suddenly
tripped and fell headlong; whereupon he said gravely: "Lo, I believe so
too, for behold, already it has come true that 'I see your body lying on
the ground.'"

Alwin consented to laugh, as he picked himself up and untangled his
runners; but he was too much in earnest to be turned aside.

"I do not mean in regard to that," he said, when they were once more in
motion. "I mean what she told concerning some new untrodden land."

Sigurd became instantly attentive, as though the reference had been much
in his own mind also.

"It has occurred to me that perhaps she was speaking of that western
land you told me of. It might be that this would be a way out of my
difficulties. If I could escape to that land with Helga, so would I at
once save her and gain my freedom."

Sigurd's eyes brightened, then gloomed again. "Yes,--but that 'if' is
like a mile-wide rift in the ice. You can never get over it."

"It might be that I could get around it. I tell you I shall go out of my
wits if I cannot see some trail to follow, no matter how faint it is.
Tell me what else you know of this land."

They were starting down a slope at the speed of the wind, but Sigurd
suddenly leaped into the air with a cheer; and cheered again as he
landed, right-side up and unstaggered, at the bottom of the hill.

"By Michael, I will do better than that! I will take you to talk with
one of Biorn's own men. One is visiting Aran Bow-Bender now, across the
fiord. I heard Brand Knutsson say so last week."

"By my troth, Sigurd," Alwin cried eagerly, "when things come to one's
hand like that, I believe it is a sign that he should try his luck with
them! Would we have time to go there to-day?"

"Certainly; do you not see that the light is only just fading from the
mountain tops? so it can be but a little past noon. The only difficulty
is that the ice may not be in a condition for us to cross the fiord.