Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

168 it soothly you? I am Ingrid, your sister.” Swain stopped dead, and peered warily around him. ‘“‘Ho-ho,” he said to himself. “TI had best walk slowly. A sister is a sister, but a wife is a wife.” And to Ingrid he called: “Where is Thorbiorn? How come you here, woman?”’ “He cast me out,” she sobbed. put me from him.” Swain growled deep in his throat. “Have you harmed him, sister? you done wrong?”’ “No, no. He said that I reminded him of you, whom he hated and who had humiliated him.”’ “We shall see about that,” answered Swain. “Heretofore I have endeavored to believe the best of Thorbiorn, but from this moment he is become my enemy. Step out, sister, and I will lead you to Jarl Rognvald, who will send you to shelter and women’s care.” She stumbled from behind a clump of bushes and sank into his arms. “Has Thorbiorn beaten you?” he asked quickly, the blood hammering at his temples. “No, but I have wandered the day long without food, for his servants and tenants feared to help me.” ‘‘And where is he?”’ She began to speak, then choked back her words. “No, Swain, I may not say.” ““ “May not say!’ Girl, he cannot harm you now.” “Ah, but I have shared his bed these many years. Shall I betray him to his death—for any cause?” Swain was silent until they had reached the edge of the circle of fire-light within the camp. “YT know naught of women’s honor,” he said gruffly, then, ‘“Were you other than my sister I would torture you to wring from you what I sought, but since you are my sister I am helpless. What the Jarl will say is another matter.” But Jarl Rognvald showed greater readi- ness than Swain to respect her loyalty to the husband who had cast her off. “Tt is so I would wish my daughter to feel,” he said. ‘My men will build you a bower here by the fireside, and in the morn- ing we will send you to Thorsa, where you ‘“‘He has Have Adventure can take ship for Gairsey and forget the sorrow which has come upon you.” She thanked him brokenly, and so Ingrid, Olaf’s daughter, passes from this story. Her lot was a sorry one, and the Orkney folk mourned for her; but in the heavier mis- fortune which was to fall upon the Islands there was little time to lament one woman’s shattered happiness. When she had been attended to, Swain turned upon Jarl Harald, who had sat silent since she was brought to the fireside. “What say you now of Thorbiorn’s guilt?” he demanded. “He has done wrong,” answered Jarl Harald, “but I am sure he will repent. Wait until-I have had speech with him, Swain.” “T will wait for nothing,” retorted Swain fiercely. “No man ever put such a slight upon me and lived. He shall pay me for it to the bitter end. Ha, he was not satisfied with Jarl Rognvald’s justice! Well, now he shall taste of Swain’s justice.” ‘Hard words make for needless deaths,”’ pleaded Jarl Harald. “Of that there is no question,”’ spoke up Jarl Rognvald. “And Thorbiorn’s con- duct proves the truth of the saw. It will be strange if we carry through his punishment without slaying him.” “St. Magnus send his death be not the presage of others,” said Jarl Harald. “T will be his death,’ answered Swain impatiently. ‘Of that you may be sure.” VI fia IN THE morning the two Jarls and ogee, their people rode along the valley of na the Kalfadal and the neighboring hillsides, asking of the folk they met where Thorbiorn was hidden, and again they re- ceived only noncommittal answers and sullen looks. When they had passed the morning thus Swain suggested that they spread out into a screen, so that they might cover a wider stretch of country and make their search more thorough. Jarl Rognvald ac- cepted the plan, but Jarl Harald said noth- ing, and the end of it was that Jarl Rogn- vald went ahead upon one side of the valley and Swain upon the other, but Jarl Harald lagged behind and out of hearing. Men who knew the young Jarl well said that they had never seen him so distraught as that day by Kaltfadal. GO NOOK (© S|