Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28
: Cut this out and keep it. You will want to

the hast slope and t,uarttIeed into the lane be-
side the river. THEY niust pass the booth.
and then.
His brain whtrled, and he stood up in his
intense interest sSomefhing had startled
the white steed that bore the scarlet kirtle:
he swerved aside ard rose ON his Launches
with q snddenness thai. nearly unseated his
rider; then he teek the bronze bit between
his teeth and 1eaped forward WhEebeard
and Ills gray mare were left behind The
yellow hair streamed out like q banner;
nearer and Alvin cOuld ses that & was
indeed girl She wound her hands In the
reins and kept her seat like centaur.
But suddenly something gave way. Over
she went, sidewise, and BY the wrist. tan
gfed In the refns, the horse dragged her
over the Stony road
FurxHtting his manacled limbs, Alvin
started forward, but 1t WAS all over in an
instant. One Of the traders servants flew
at the animals head and stopped him, al
most at the door OF the booth In another
moment a crowd gathered around the
fallen girl and shut her from his view.
Alvin gazed at the shifting backs with
dreadful vision Of golden hair torn and
splashed with blood. She must be dead, for
she had not once screamed. His head was
still ringing with the sfIrieks OF his
mothers waiting women, as the Danes
bore them out Of the burning castle.
Whitebeard came galloping up, putting
and painting. He was a puny little Ger
man, with face rs small and wfthered as
winter apple, but a body swaddled In fur
trimmed tunics until 1t seemed as fat as
polar bears. He rolled OF his horse; the
crowd parted before him Then the Eng
lish youth experienced another shock
Bruised and muddy, but neither dead
nor fatntfng, the girl stood examining her
wrist with the utmost cafnness. Though
her face was white and drawn with pain,
she looked up at the old man with little
twisted smile.
IT'S nothing, Tyrker," she said quickly;
sapJu ha
my wrist is out OF joint. We VIII 30 In
here, and you shall set 1t.
Tyrker bIinked at her for a moment
with an expression Of mingled affection and
wonder; then he drew deep breath. Don
nerwetter, but you are true shield maid
emf he said, in wavering treble
The trader received them with true Morse
hospitality; and Alvin watched In speech
less amazement while the old man ripped up
the scarlet sleeve and wrenched the dislo-
Gated bones into position without a muir
n.ur from the patient. Despite her strange
dress and general dishevelment. he could
see now that she was beautiful girl,
year or two younger than himself. Her
face was as delicately pink and pearly as
sea shell, and corn-fowers among the wheat
were no bluer than the eyes that looked
out from under her ripping golden tresses
When the wrist was set and bandaged, the
trader presented them with silken scarf
to make into a sling. and had them served
with horns Of sparkling mead. This gave
turn to the affair that proved of special
interest to Alvin. There is an old Morse
proverb which prescribes Lie for lie,
laughter for laughter, gift for gift;" SO.
while he accepted these favors. Tyrker be-
gan to look around for some way to repay
them. His gaze wandered over fabrics and
furs and weapons, till II finally fell upon
the slaves bench.
''Donnerwetter!" he said, setting down
his horn. 'To my mind 1t has just come
that Left a cook-boy IS DESTROYS of. now
that Hord Is drowned
The girl saw his purpose, and nodded
quickly 1T Is unlikely that you can make
She turned to examine the slaves, and her
eyes imm edia tely encountered Alwin's. She
did not blush; she looked him up and down
critically as II he were piece Of armor or
den shame and anger. as he realized that In
the eyes OF this beautiful Morse maiden he
was merely an animal put up for sale.
Wonder is a handsome thrall." she said
''He looks as though his strength were such
that he could stand Something"
True 1t Is that he cannot a lame wolf
be who with the pack from Greenland Is
to run" Tyrker Tassented, THAT 1t was,
which to Hord was a hindrance. For sport
only, Egil Olafson under the water took him
down and held him there; and because to
get away he was not strong enough. he
was drowned. Butte me It seems that this
be?' 0N'N ''''' "'N'N '''' - -
marks Of silver said the trader. He is an
English thran. very strong and we'll
shaped" He came over to where Alvin
sat, and stood him up and turned him
round and bent his limbs, Alvin submitting
as q Gagged tiger submits to the lash, and
with much the same look about his mouth
Tyrker caught the look, and sat for
long while blinking doubtfully at him. But
he was shrewd old fellow, and at last he
drew his money-bag from his gtrdle and
handed 1t to the trader to be weighed.
" lille this was being done, he babe one
of the servants strike off the boys letters.
The trader paused, scales in hand, to re-
monstrate. '1t is my advice that you keep
them on until you sail. will not conceal
1t from you that he has an unruly dispo-
sftion. You will be lacking both your man
and your money"
The old man smiled quietly. Zach, my
friend he said, "can you not better read
face? Well is 1t to be able to read runes,
but better yet 1t is to know what the Lord
has written in mems eyes" He signed to
the servant to go on, and in moment
the chains fell gathering on the ground.
Alvin looked at him in amazement; then
suddenly he realized what kind old face it
was. for all its shrewdness and puny ugli-
ness. The scowl fell from him like another
chain.
II give you thanks he said.
The wrinkled, tremulous old hand touch
ed his shoulder with a kindly pressure.