She stared at him dully.  “Why should I be angry with you?  You could not help what you did; and Leif thought I would wish rather to go to my own mother than to Thorhild.”

It had never occurred to Alwin that she would be reasonable.  His remorse became the more eager.  He bethought himself of some slight comfort.  “At least it cannot happen for a year, lady.  And in—­”

She raised her head quickly.  “Why can it not happen for a year?”

“Because Gilli is away on a trading voyage, and will not be back until fall, when it will be too late to start for Greenland.  Nor will he come early in spring and so lose the best of his trading season.  It is sure to be more than a year.”

Youth can construct a lifeboat out of a straw.  Hope crept back to Helga’s eyes.

“A year is a long time.  Many things can happen in a year.  Gilli may be slain, —­for every man a mistletoe-shaft grows somewhere.  Or I may marry someone in Greenland.  Already two chiefs have asked my hand of Leif, so it is not likely that I shall lack chances.”

“That is true; and it may also happen that the Lady Bertha will never get my runes.  She was absent on a visit when Valbrand left them at her farm.  Or even if she gets them, she may lack courage to tell the news to Gilli.  Or he may dislike the expense of a daughter.  Surely, where there are so many holes, there are many good chances that the danger will fall through one of them.”

Helga flung up her head with a gallant air.  “I will heed your advice in this matter.  I will not trouble myself another moment; and I will love Brattahlid as a bird loves the cliff that hides it!  And Thorhild?  What if her nature is such that she is cross?  She is no coward.  She would defend those she loved, though she died for it.  I should like to see Eric bid her to abandon a child.  There would not be a red hair left in his beard.  Better is it to be brave and true than to be gentle like your Lady Bertha.  Is it because she is my mother that you give that title to me also?”

Alwin hesitated and reddened.  “Yes.  And because I like to remember that there is English blood in you.”

Helga paused in the midst of her excitement, and her face softened.  She looked at him, and her starry eyes were full of frank good-will.

She said slowly, “Since there is English blood in me, it may be that you will some time ask for the friendship I have offered you.”

At that moment, it seemed to Alwin that such simplicity and frankness were worth more than all the gentle graces of his country-women.  He put out his hand.

“You need not wait long for me to ask that,” he said.  “I would have asked it a week ago, but I could not think it honorable to call myself your friend when I had injured you so.”

Helga’s slim fingers gave his a firm clasp, but she laughed merrily.

“That is where you are mistaken.  If you had not injured me, you would never have forgotten that I had injured you.  Now we are even, and we start afresh.  That is a good thing.”