As both horseman and sentinel had started at that name, so now the King
straightened into alertness, forgetting everything else.

"Leofwinesson? What know you of him or his Jarl? Where are they? When
saw you them?"

"Last night; when they lay drunk in my father's castle at Avalcomb,
after--"

"Avalcomb? Near St. Alban's? The swine!" The monarch was a soldier now,
shooting his questions like arrows. "After I bade them at Gillingham
come straight to me! How many were they? Where is the Jarl?"

"He was not with them. It was Norman of Baddeby who led, and he had no
more than five-and-fifty men. It was spoken among them that they would
join you at sunset to-day--"

Canute's hand shot out and gripped her arm and shook it. "You know this
for certain? I will have your tongue if you lie to me! You are sure that
they intend coming,--that it is not their intention to play me false and
return to Edmund?" His voice was stern, his gaze mercilessly direct. An
hour before, the girl would have shrunk from them both.

One can learn life-lessons in an hour. She faced the roughness now as
one faces a rush of bracing north wind. "I know what I heard them say,
Lord King. They said that Edric Jarl had marched on to St. Alban's to
lie there over-night. Leofwinesson stopped at Avalcomb because he wished
to vent his spite upon my father. It was their intention to meet at the
city gate at noon and come on to join you. They will be here before the
sun is set."

Canute released her arm to reach for his goblet. "I wish I could know it
for certain," he muttered. "But it is as the saying has it, 'Though they
fight and quarrel among themselves, the eagles will mate again.'" He
looked at her with a half-smile as he refilled his cup, motioning toward
the other flagon. "Fill up, and we will drink a toast to their loyalty
and to your beard; they appear to be equally in need of encouragement."
Draining it off, he sat staring down into the dregs, twirling the stem
thoughtfully between his fingers.

By the time she had shifted her weight twice for each foot, the
petitioner ventured to recall him.

"It gives me some hope, to hear what you say about suspecting Edric
Jarl," she said timidly; "for that makes it appear more likely that you
will be willing to give me justice on his man."

"Justice?" The King's mind came back to her slowly, as from an immense
distance. "By Thor, I had forgotten! There have not been so many to me
on that errand... Thoug