Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-31

oIt Iroln u Snflyeletf hide
Discreet words issGesi
-Havamal.
She made convincing boy, this daughter
of the Vikings. Though she was sixteen,
her graceful bpdy FhadIretained most of the
lines and slender curves of childhood; and
she was long of limb and broad of shoulder
Her head was poised alertly above her
strong young throat and she was as
: straight as a fir tree and as supple as
birch. life out-of-doors had given to her
skin tone of warm-brown, which, in a
land that expected women to be lily fair,
was like mask added to her disguise. The
blackness of her hair was equally uncon.
nected with northern dreams of beautiIul
maidens. "Dark-haired g. women, ike
slaves, black and bad" was the proverb OF
the Danish camps. Some fair-tressed an
cestor back in the past must have qualified
his blood from the veins OF an irish cap
tive: in no other way could one account 1or
those locks, and for her eyes that were OF
the grayish blue Of iris petals.
The eyes were a little staring this MORN
ing as though still stretched wide with the
horror of the things they had looked upon;
and all the glowing red blood had eoDed
away from the brown cheeks.
She said in low voice, MY 1ather-
Fridtjof-'' then stopped to draw long
hard breath through her set teeth
For the moment Sister Wynfreda was not
a nun but a woman-a woman with great
yearning tenderness that might nave peen
beautiful mother-love. She ran to the girl
and caught her tremblngly by the hands;
feeling up her arms to her shoulders ana
about her face, as If to make sure that
she was really unframed
praise the Lord that you are delivered
whole to me!' she breathed. Gram told
us-that they had taken you.
Gazing at her out of horror-hlled eyes,
Randalin stood quite still in her embrace.
Her story came from her in jerks, and each
fragment seemed to leave her greatness
though she spoke slowly.
81 broke away" she said. "They stood
around me in ring. Norman LeofWlnesson
said he would carry me before priest anu
marry me, so that Avalcomb might be his
lawfully, whichever king got the victory.
said by no means would wed him; sooner
would I slay him. All thought that great
Jest and laughed. While they were shout
ing l slipped between them and got up the
stairs into a chamber, where I bolted the
door and would not open to them, though
they pounded their fists sore and cursed at
me. After a while the pounding became an
exertion to them, and one began to talk
about the mead that vas waiting below.
And after that they whispered together Tor
a space. At last they began to laugh ana
jeer, and called to me that they would go
down and drink my wedding toast before
they broke in the door and fetched ME; and
then they betook themselves to feastfng.'
Sister Wynfreda bent her head to murmur
ed charity in my judgment on the pagans!
If they who have seen the light can do such
deeds. what can be expected of those who
yet labor under the curse of darkness!'
II do not understand you" Randalin said
wcarily sinking the grass and passing
her hands over her strained eyes. when
a man looks with eyes of longing upon an
other mans property, 1t is to be expected
that he will do as much evil as luck allows
him. Though he has got Baddeby, Norman
was covetous Of Avalcomb. When his lord,
Edric Jarl, was still king Ednlunds man,
he twice beset the castle, and my father
twice held It against him. And his greed
was such that he could not stay away even
after Edric had become the man of Ca
mute"
1t was the nuns turn for bewilderment.
1.-The man of Canute? Edric of Mercia, who
is married to the kings sister? 1t cannot
be that you know what you say!
Certainly know what say" the girl
returned little impatiently. "All English
lords are fraudulent; men can see that by
the state of the country. Though he be
thrice kinsman to the English king, Edric
Jarl has joined the host Of Canute Of Den
mark: and all his men have followed him.
But even that agreement could not hold
Norman back from Ayaleomb. He lay hid
den near the gate It'll he saw my father
come. in the dusk, from hunting, when he
fell upon him and slew him, and forced an
entrance-the nithing! When he had five
and-fifty men and my father but twclve!'
She paused, with set lips and head flung
high The nun got down stiffiy beside her
and laid gentle hand upon her knee.
Think not Of it, my daughter" she
urged Think of your present mead and of
what it behooves US to do. Tell me how
you escaped from the chamber, and why
you wear these clothes"
"They were Fridtjof's." She spoke his
name very softly. Il found them hanging
on the chamber wall In the night the men
began to entertain themselves with singing,
and 1T could be heard that they were get
ting drunk 1t had been in my mind that ]
would stay where I was until they forced
the door, then, because I would like it bet
ter to die than to marry any Of them,
l would throw myself out of the win