lhal,
Cheating Lok's daughter
Of weak-hearted prey?
Lo! the Wolf wakens.
Valkyr relaxes,
Waits for a battlefield,
Wolf-cub to claim.
Friendly the Falcon,
Friendly the Gray-Wolf.

So it ran on, to the great scandal of Lucius, who longed for better
knowledge of the Gothic tongue to convince the old man of the folly
of his heathen dreams. Meinhard, who was likewise rather shocked,
explained that the father and son had been recent arrivals, who had
been baptized because Euric required his followers to embrace his
faith, but with little real knowledge or acceptance on the part of
the father. Young Odorik had been a far more ardent convert; and,
after the fashion of many a believer, had taken up the distinctions
of sect rather than of religion, and, zealous in the faith he knew,
had thought it incumbent on him to insult the Catholics where they
seemed to him idolatrous.

A message on the road informed the travellers that they would find
Odorik at the villa. Thither then they went, and soon saw the whole
household on the steps in eager anticipation. A tall young figure,
with a bandage still round his fair flowing locks, came down the
steps as Verronax helped the blind man to dismount; and Odo, with a
cry of 'My son!' with a ring of ecstasy in the sound, held the youth
to his breast and felt him all over.

"Are we friends?" said Odorik, turning to Verronax, when his father
released him.

"That is as thou wiliest," returned the Arvernian gravely.

"Know then," said Odorik, "that I know that I erred. I knew not thy
Lord when I mocked thine honour to Him. Father, we had but half
learnt the Christian's God. I have seen it now. It was not thy
blow, O Arvernian! that taught me; but the Master who inspired
yonder youth to offer his life, and who sent the maiden there to
wait upon her foe. He is more than man. I own in him the Eternal
Creator, Redeemer, and Lord!"

"Yea," said Sidonius to his friend AEmilius, "a great work hath been
wrought out. Thus hath the parable of actual life led this zealous
but half-taught youth to enter into the higher truth. Lucius will
be none the worse priest for having trodden in the steps of Him who
was High-priest and Victim. Who may abide strict Divine Justice,
had not One stood between the sinner and the Judge? Thus 'Mercy and
Truth have met together; Righteousness and Peace have kissed each
other.'"

THE CAT OF CAT COPSE

A HAMPSHIRE TRADITION

I

The Dane!