All at once, Helga shook out her flying locks like so many golden war banners, and turned to face him resolutely.  “You shall not speak, nor think like that,” she said; “for I see now that it is not good sense.  Before, though my heart told me you were wrong, I did not understand why; but now I have turned it over in my mind until I see clearly.  The failure of your first attempt to win Leif’s favor is a thing by itself; at least it does not prove that you have not yet many good chances.  I will not deny that we may have expected too many opportunities for valiant deeds, yet are there no other ways in which to serve?  Was it by a feat of arms that you won your first honor with the chief?  It was nothing more heroic than the ability to read runes which, in five days, got you more favor than Rolf Erlingsson’s strength had gained him in five years.  Are your accomplishments so limited to your weapons that when you cannot use your sword you must lie idle?  Many little services will count as much as one big one, when the time of reckoning comes.  Shake the sleep-thorn out of your ear, my comrade, and be your brave strong-minded self again.  Without courage, never would Robert Sans-Peur have come to Greenland, nor Helga, Gilli’s daughter, have followed him to Norway.  Despise it not, but mate it with your good sense, and the two shall yet draw us to victory.”

It was a long time before Alwin answered.  The river splashed and murmured below; birds rustled in the bushes around them, or dived into the green depths with a soft whir of wings.  A rabbit paused to look at them, and two squirrels quarrelled over a nut, within reach of their hands,—­so still were they.  But when at last Alwin raised his eyes to hers, their gaze reassured her.

“The sleep-thorn is out, sweetheart,” he said, slowly.  “Now is the whole of my folly clear to me for the first time.  Never again shall you have cause to shame my manhood with such words.”

“Shame!  Shame you, who are the best and bravest in the world!” she cried, passionately, and threw herself on her knees by his side, entreating.

But he silenced her lips with kisses, and put her gently back upon the rock.

“Do not let us speak further of it, dear one.  I have thought so much and done so little.  After this you shall see how I will bear myself...  But let us forget it now, and rest awhile.  Let us forget everything in the world except that we are together.  Lay your hand in mine and turn your face where I can look into it; and so shall we be sure of this happiness, whatever lies beyond.”

A vague fear laid its icy finger, for an instant, on Helga’s brave heart; but she shook it off fiercely.  Locking her hand fast in her comrade’s, she let all the love of her soul well up and shine from her beautiful eyes.  So they sat, hand in hand, while the hours slipped by and the shadows lengthened about them, and the light on the river grew red.

With the sunset, came the sound of distant voices.  Helga started up with a finger on her lips.