Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-02

stay: king, if you please. You are weapon
less.
Co Canute repeated.
In moment the doors beyond the cur
tain had closed behind them. and the two
men were alone save for the girl hiding
forgotten in the shadow of the chair
Rothgar laughed jarIingly. Whatever
has been told about you, you have not yet
been accounted a coward. But do not see
how you know l shall not kill you. l have
dreamed of it not few times.
Something like veil seemed to fall over
the kings face; from behind it he spoke
slowly as he moved away to the dais upon
which his throne-chair stood, and mounted
the steps. The same dream has come
to me, but never has it occurred to me to
seek you out or to tell you of it"
No such purpose had J., the Jotun said
with touch of surlineSs. Pulling bag
from under hts belt he shook out of 1T
upon the floor name of matted yellow
hair. IF you want to know my errand it
is to bring you this. Yesterday it came
to my ears that one of my men was sus-
pected of having tried to give you poison
through your wife's British thrall. I got
them before me and questioned them, and
the Scar-Cheek boosted of having done
1t. This is his hair. If you remember
anything about the fellow you under
stand that he was not alive when I took
II from him.
The king looked immovably at the yell
low mass. You have behaved in a chief
tain-like way and thank you for it," he
otiiN. out L WOulu ndNC llkeu IL DeIteT
II you had come to me about the judg-
ment that raised this wall between US
Rothgars throat gave out a savage
sound. Tempt me not! 1 am no sluggish
wolf"
But Canute spoke on What 1 expected
that day was that you would come to me
as friend comes to friend, and with my
loose property would redeem from you
every stick and stone which my kingship
had forced me to hold back. Not more
than they have called me coward have
men ever called me stingy-'
when tes J haye peowe called
thoughts have got bad habit Of lying
about me If they say that it was greed
for land which made me take your judg-
ment angrily. Except for the honor of
my stock. what want with land while
have ship to bear me? 1 tell you, now
AS heretofore, that it was your treachery
"Rothgar my brother" the veil was
rent from the kings face and he had
stepped from the dais and seized the other
by the shoulders as though he would
ring, I swear that have never betrayed
you! If you grudge not the land to the
Englishman, you have no cause to grudge
him anything under Ymer's skull. Can
part Of me is my friendship for you Time
never was when it was not there, and it
would be as possible to I'LL my veins with
Thames water as to put an Englishman
into your place. Can you not under
stand
But Rothgar's hand had fallen upon the
others breast and pushed him backward
SO that he was forced to catch at the
chair arm to save himself from falling.
Never get afraid about that" he sheer
ed. 'Since we slept in one cradle, have
been thick-headed Thrym and your
Loke's wit has fooled me into doing your
bidding and fighting your battles and CIV
ing you my toll and my limbs and my
faith, but wisdom has grown N me at last.
You undertake too steep a climb when you
try to make me believe in your love while
before my eyes you give to the man
I hate my lands and the woman you
had promised me and my place
above your men" His rage choked