d that a man's harshness is
little worse than a woman's guile," he said bitterly.

Dimly guessing what was in his mind, she dared not trust herself to
words but told her gratitude with her eyes, as she returned his clasp.
Then he sent her back by the one semblance of a path which ran through
the forest, and himself rode on to his hunters.

Chapter XXI. With The Jotun as Chamberlain

All doorways,
Before going forward,
Should be looked to;
For difficult it is to know
Where foes may sit
Within a dwelling.
Ha'vama'l.

"Once more, Lord Sebert, be exhorted to turn back," old Morcard spurred
forward to offer a last remonstrance as city gates yawned before them.
"Even if the message be genuine, you are putting your life in peril. If
men speak rightly, Gloucester Town is no better than a camp of carousing
Danes. Is it likely that they care enough about this peace to stick at
so small a thing as man-slaying?"

The Etheling replied without slackening his pace: "I do not think they
are liable to molest a peaceful traveller. I will take care that I
upheave no strife, and I will make all my inquiries of the monks."

"Go a little more slowly, lord, and consider the other side of it," the
old knight entreated. "Suppose the message is false,--the black tress
around it proves nothing. Suppose the son of Lodbrok has spread a net
for you?"

"Then should I keep on my way still more lustily," the Lord of Ivarsdale
answered, "for his making use of the boy's name to entice me would show
that he had discovered our friendship, in which case the youngling would
be suffering from his anger."

The old man plucked violently at his beard as the walls loomed clearer
before them. "Lord, you have already gone through some risk in leaving
home. It is by no means impossible that Edmund will fall upon the Tower
during your absence."

"Edmund is too busy with big game at Oxford to have that trouble about
such quarry as I," the young man said lightly, "and the Gainer is not
likely to stir far from Edmund while land is being distributed." Then,
sobering, he gave the other a grave glance over his shoulder. "Even
though the errand for danger could not be accomplished, how could I do
less than undertake it? Did not the boy go through some risk for me when
he betrayed his own countryman to get me out of a hard place? Had they
guessed his treason, they would have torn him in pieces. I owe him a
debt which it concern