ou cannot use your sword you must lie idle? Many little services
will count as much as one big one, when the time of reckoning comes.
Shake the sleep-thorn out of your ear, my comrade, and be your brave
strong-minded self again. Without courage, never would Robert Sans-Peur
have come to Greenland, nor Helga, Gilli's daughter, have followed him
to Norway. Despise it not, but mate it with your good sense, and the two
shall yet draw us to victory."

It was a long time before Alwin answered. The river splashed and
murmured below; birds rustled in the bushes around them, or dived into
the green depths with a soft whir of wings. A rabbit paused to look at
them, and two squirrels quarrelled over a nut, within reach of their
hands,--so still were they. But when at last Alwin raised his eyes to
hers, their gaze reassured her.

"The sleep-thorn is out, sweetheart," he said, slowly. "Now is the whole
of my folly clear to me for the first time. Never again shall you have
cause to shame my manhood with such words."

"Shame! Shame you, who are the best and bravest in the world!" she
cried, passionately, and threw herself on her knees by his side,
entreating.

But he silenced her lips with kisses, and put her gently back upon the
rock.

"Do not let us speak further of it, dear one. I have thought so much and
done so little. After this you shall see how I will bear myself... But
let us forget it now, and rest awhile. Let us forget everything in the
world except that we are together. Lay your hand in mine and turn your
face where I can look into it; and so shall we be sure of this
happiness, whatever lies beyond."

A vague fear laid its icy finger, for an instant, on Helga's brave
heart; but she shook it off fiercely. Locking her hand fast in her
comrade's, she let all the love of her soul well up and shine from her
beautiful eyes. So they sat, hand in hand, while the hours slipped by
and the shadows lengthened about them, and the light on the river grew
red.

With the sunset, came the sound of distant voices. Helga started up with
a finger on her lips.

"It is the exploring party, returning! It is possible that one of them
might blunder in here. Do you think we can climb the bluff before they
turn the bend and see us?"

The voices were becoming very distinct now. Alwin shook his head.

"I think it better to remain where we are. Sigurd knows that we are
likely to be here. He will turn them aside, if need be. See; yonder is