him incredulous glances over their shoulders, he further
explained his will by a gesture; and they fell away, murmuring, the
swords gliding like bright serpents back to their holes. Then he made
another sign, this time to the stranger. "We will accept your greeting
now, Englishman, even though you have been hindered in the giving of
it," he said politely.

Standing there, watching the young noble advance, it seemed to Randalin
that there was not room between her heart-beats for her breathing. How
soon would he look up and know her? How would his face change when he
did? His color now was a match for the warriors' cloaks, and there was
none of his usual ease in his manner when at last he bowed before
the King. Presently it occurred to her to suspect that he had already
recognized her,--perhaps from the doorway,--and in her rush of relief
at the idea of the shock being over, she found even an impulse of
playfulness. Borrowing one of Elfgiva's graces, she swept back her
rustling draperies in a ceremonious courtesy before him.

Again he bent in his bow of stiff embarrassment; but he did not meet her
glance even then, returning his gaze, soldier-like, to the King. Suppose
he were going to treat her with the haughtiness she had seen him show
Hildelitha or the old monk when they had displeased him! At the mere
thought of it, she shrank and dropped her eyes to the coral chain that
she was twining between her fingers.

The awkwardness of the pause seemed to afford Canute a kind of
mischievous amusement, for all the courtesy in which he veiled it. His
voice was almost too cheerful as he addressed the Etheling. "Now as
always it can be told about my men that they stretch out their hands
to greet strangers," he said, "but I ask you not to judge all Danish
hospitality from this reception, Lord of Ivarsdale. Since Frode's
daughter has told me who you are, I take it for granted that they were
wrong, and that you came here with no worse intention than to obey her
invitation."

His glance sharpened a little as he pronounced those last words, and the
girl's hands clasped each other more tightly as she perceived the snare
in the phrase. If the Etheling should answer unheedingly or obscurely,
so that it should not be made quite clear to the King--

But it appeared that the Etheling was equally anxious that Canute should
not believe him the lover of Frode's daughter. His reply was distinct to
bluntness: "Part of your guess is as wrong