er outhouses. It was indeed such a house as any thane would be
proud to hold as his home.

Presently, therefore, after seeing all, the king and queen and I
stood by the hearth in the hall again, and Ina asked me my thoughts
of it. And I told him even as I have written, that all was well
done and completely.

"Why, then," he said, "let me come and stay here now and then."

I laughed at that.

"I have heard, my King, of house-carles who led their masters, but
that is not our way. Where the king goes the household follows, in
Wessex."

He laughed also, for a moment.

"Long may it be so," he said. "Nevertheless, I think that I shall
have to be as a guest here now and then."

Then Ethelburga smiled at my puzzled face, and spoke in her turn.

"Why, Oswald, it seems to me that you are the only man in all
Wessex who does not know who is to live here."

"It is always said that the king himself will make it one of his
palaces, lady," I answered.

Then Ina set his hand on my shoulder, and made no more secret of
what he meant.

"I want you to bide here, my Thane, and hold this unquiet land for
me. There is not one who can better rule it from this fortress for
me than yourself; and the house and all that is in it is yours, if
you will."

Then for a moment came over me that same feeling of loneliness that
had kept me from taking Eastdean again, and with it there was the
thought that I was not able to take so great a charge on me.

"How can I do this, my King?" I said, not knowing how to put into
words all that I felt. "I am not strong enough for such a post."

"Nay," he said gravely. "It is said of me that I do not do things
hastily, and it is a true word enough, seeing that I know that I
often lose a chance by over caution, maybe. Answer me a question or
two fairly, and I think you will see that I may ask you to bide
here."

Then he minded me that I alone of all his athelings knew this Welsh
tongue as if born thereto, and also that men knew me as the son of
Owen the prince, so that the Welsh would hardly hold me as a
stranger. That I had found out in these last months while I had
been numbering the freemen and their holdings; and as I went about
that business I had seen every one that was of any account, so that
already I knew all the land I had to rule better than any other.
That task, however, had been set me, as I know now, in preparation
for this post.

I had no answer to make against all this concerning m