ing swords.
I mind that I heard the leathern peace thongs of one snap as the
thane who tried to draw it tugged at the hilt, forgetting them.
Soon I was in the midst of a half ring of men as I held the man
close to the great fire on the hearth with his face downward and
his right arm doubled under him. He never stirred, and I thought he
waited for me to loose my hold on him.

Then came the steady voice of Ina:

"Let none go forth from the hall. To your seats, my friends, for
there can be no more danger; and let the house-carles see to the
man."

Two of my men took charge of my captive, even as he lay, and I
stood up. Owen was close to me.

"The man is dead," he said in a strange voice.

"I doubt it," I answered, looking at him quickly, for the voice
startled me. Then I saw that my foster father's face was white and
drawn as with some trouble, and he was gazing in a still way at the
man whom the warriors yet held on the floor.

"His foot has been in the fire since you hove him there, yet he has
not stirred," he said.

Then I minded that I had indeed smelt the sharp smell of burning
leather, and had not heeded it. So I told the two men to draw the
thrall away and turn him over. As they did so we knew that he was
indeed dead, for the long knife was deep in his side, driven home
as he fell on it. And I saw that in the hilt of it was a wonderful
purple jewel set in gold. It was not the weapon of a thrall.

That Ina saw also, and he came down from the high place, and stood
and looked in the face of this one who would have slain him,
fixedly for a minute.

Then he said, speaking to Owen in a low voice:

"Justice has been done, as it seems to me. Justice from a higher
hand than mine, moreover."

Then he went back to his place, and standing there said in the dead
hush that was on us all:

"It would seem that this man thought that he had somewhat against
me, indeed, but I do not know him, or who his brother may have
been. Nor have I slain any man save in open field of battle at any
time, as all men know, save and except that I may be said to have
done so by the arm of the law. Yet even so, our Wessex dooms are
not such as take life but for the most plain cause, and that seldom
as may be. Is there any one here who has knowledge of this man who
calls himself Morgan of Dyvnaint? It seems to me that I have heard
the name before."

Now Owen had gone back to his place, and while one or two thanes
came forward and loo