in one of the great chests in the foreroom?  The steersman will not hinder you, for I have spoken so many fine words to him, with this deed in view, that he is ready to chop off his head at my bidding.  Thus will you get far out at sea before they discover you.  Gilli will not know that he has ever seen you before, you are so white and changed; and when he has taken away all the property you have on you, he will say nothing further about the matter.  So will you be brought to Norway,—­and thence it is not far to your England, though I do not know if that is of any importance.  But if you say that this plan is otherwise than ingenious, I shall be angry with you.”

Alwin vented a short laugh.  “It is most ingenious, comrade.  The only trouble with it is that I have no ambition to go either to Norway or to England.”

This time it was he who sealed her lips, as her amazement was about to burst through them.

“Give me a hearing and you will understand.  I do not wish to go to England because I could do nothing there to improve my credit in any way.  My kin have disappeared like withered grass, and the Danes are all-powerful.  I do not wish to go to Norway because there I could never be more than a runaway slave; and though I strove to my uttermost, it is unlikely that I could ever acquire either wealth or influence,—­and without both how would it ever be possible to win you?  See how the North has conquered me!  First it was only my body that was bound; and I was sure that, if ever I got my freedom, I should enter the service of some English lord and die fighting against the Danes.  And now a Norse maiden has conquered my heart, so that I would not take my liberty if it were offered me!  No, no, sweetheart; I have thought of it, night and day, until at last I see the truth.  The only chance I have is with Leif.”

Helga wrung her hands violently.  “You must be crazy if you think so!  He would strike you down the instant his eyes—­”

“It is not my intention that he shall know me until he has had cause to soften toward me.  Do you not remember Skroppa’s prophecy? has not Sigurd told you of it?—­that it is in this new untrodden country that my fate is to be decided?  I will disguise myself in some way, and go on this exploring expedition among his following.  I shall have many chances to be of service to him.”

“But suppose they should not come soon enough?  Suppose your disguise should be too shallow?  His eyes are like arrows that pierce everything they are aimed at.  Suppose he should recognize you at once?”

The new grimness again squared Alwin’s mouth.  “Then one of two things will happen.  Either he will pardon me, for the sake of what I have already endured; or else he will keep to his first intention, and kill me.  In neither case will we be worse off than we were four months ago.”

Such logic admitted of no reply, and Helga gave way to it.  But so much anguish was betrayed in her face, that Alwin gave another short laugh and asked her: