Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 164: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

162 “Swain brought fourteen score men and you eight score,” he commented. ‘‘And he had a dragon and two longships to your two longships.”’ “But I lost “Peace, Thorbiorn. You have stated your loss.” “Yes, and I must pay manbote to their families!” “True! That is the hazard any chief accepts when he leads men viking-faring. Swain might have been in worse case, for he had more men to lose.” “T see not that that had aught to do with it,’ growled Thorbiorn. “’Iwas I lost twelve men and he——” The Jarl turned from him to Swain. “Do you dispute anything which Thor- biorn has said?” asked Jarl Rognvald. “No, Lord Jarl.” “And how did you propose to divide the booty?” “We had each ship as full as she could load—and I would have left them so. It was fairer to Thorbiorn than to me, seeing that he had first chance at the plundering in two of our richest on-falls.” Jarl Rognvald nodded. “This .is a very simple case,” he an- nounced. ‘My ruling is this: Swain has a right to a share of the plunder in propor- tion to the number of men and ships he put into the expedition. Three-fifths and the half of a fifth should be his. The rest should be Thorbiorn’s, and if Thorbiorn be- lieves that the booty was not divided in this proportion amongst the five ships, then, he has a right to ask that all the plunder be carried here and distributed under my supervision.” Thorbiorn glowered at Jarl Rognvald. “T have suffered enough already at your hands,” he snarled. ‘“‘Why should I invite more loss?” “T am your lord, Thorbiorn,” replied the Jarl sternly. “It is not fitting that you should address me in that fashion.” “And it is not fitting that I should be made a mock before all your people, and my services put aside,” returned Thorbiorn. Several of his men shouted assent to this, rattling their weapons on their shields, and Erik and others of Swain’s men answered them. And at this still others joined their voices in the uproar, including men who were friends to both chiefs, but had not participated in the expedition. Jarl Harald Adventure PRIDARIV { Fasr lele) areet 350 miles #: of sey ORKNEYAR VESTREY Yes Me J {fo ep tne ny i nev Spires BNI De, Wa Shes | hj é aN sat PAPEY Minw @ GA, Ss » Wirh dynghe olan %g, . ' ¢, > 4 e y Oyrncamy ls 0 Brugh of ” ‘ Overness “*Prowtinses stepped to the dais, and raised his arm for silence. “Tt is disrespectful for any to challenge the justice of Jarl Rognvald’s decision,” he said no less sternly than the older Jarl had spoken. “Justice was asked for, and jus- tice was given. It was because I foresaw that men would not be satisfied with any justice in this case that I withdrew from it, but that does not relieve me from the obligation of upholding Jarl Rognvald’s authority. He who submits his case to the Jarl, must abide by what the Jarl decides. Tam sorry for Thorbiorn, but he has lost.”’ “Fairly lost, Lord Jarl,” cried a man from the body of the hall. “TY did not recognize your voice,” replied Jarl Harald, “but——” “My name is Thorarinn Killinef,’ an- swered the man, “‘and I spoke to say that Jarl Rognvald is a fair Jarl and dealt justly both by Thorbiorn and by Swain in this case.”’ Thorbiorn glared at the man who had pushed his way to the front of the room, and a tenant of Thorbiorn’s, one Thorkell COMmMiclboookkSs.Cc©