She was charmingly natural!

But this was not all: Karlsefin also fell in love on the spot,--over
head and ears and hair, and hat to boot; neither did he show sign of it!
After the trifling ceremonies usual on an introduction were over, he
turned to continue his conversation with Leif and paid no further
attention to Gudrid, while she busied herself in preparing supper. It
is true that he looked at her now and then, but of course he looked at
everybody, now and then, in the course of the evening. Besides, it is
well-known what is said about the rights of the feline species in
reference to royalty. At supper Gudrid waited on the guests, Karlsefin
therefore, necessarily paid her somewhat more attention in accepting her
civilities, but Thorward was quite as attentive as he, so that the most
sharp-witted match-maker in the world would have failed to note any
symptom of anything whatever in regard to either of them.

Gudrid felt this a little, for she was accustomed to admiration from the
young men of Ericsfiord and Heriulfness, and, you know, people don't
like to want what they are accustomed to. What Karlsefin thought, he
did not show and never mentioned, therefore we cannot tell.

Now, good reader, pray do not run away with the notion that this love
affair is the plot on which the story is to hinge! Nothing of the kind.
It ran its course much more rapidly, and terminated much more abruptly,
than you probably suppose--as the sequel will show.

During supper there was not much conversation, for all were hungry, but
afterwards, when cans of home-brewed ale were handed round, the tongues
began to move. Leif soon observed that Karlsefin merely sipped his
beer, but never once drank.

"You do not drink," he said, pushing a large silver tankard towards him;
"come, fill up."

"Thanks, I drink but sparingly," said Karlsefin, taking up the large
tankard and admiring the workmanship.

"In good sooth ye do," cried Biarne, with a laugh; "a mouse could hardly
slake his thirst with all that you have yet imbibed."

"I have been so long at sea," rejoined Karlsefin, smiling, "that I have
lost my relish for beer. We had nothing but water with us. Where got
you this tankard, Leif, it is very massive and the workmanship such as
one seldom meets with save in kings' houses?"

"It belonged to a king!" replied Leif, with a look of pride. "Good King
Olaf Tryggvisson gave it to me on an occasion when I chanced to do him
some small