sly grin and wink to me, and I understood.

So I went away, for that was enough. Of course, I was very angry,
by reason of the scratch to my pride; for it does hurt to think
that one is not wanted, and for a while I brooded over it just as I
had done the other day. Then it came to me that at least I had no
reason to be angry with Erpwald, who could know little or anything
about me, being a newcomer, and it was not his fault if the girl
made a tool of him to scare me away, and after that I found my
senses again, rather sooner than before, perhaps. It was plain that
the ealdorman took it for granted that I had no feeling now in that
direction, and so others would do the same, which was comforting.
So I supposed that there was no more to be said on the subject by
any one, unless Elfrida chose to have the matter out, and set
things on the old footing of frank friendliness again.

There I found that I was mistaken at once. Some one was coming down
the lane after me quickly, and then calling my name. I turned, and
there was Erpwald, with a very red face, trying to overtake me, and
I waited for him.

"A word with you, Thane," he said, out of breath.

"As many as you will. What is it?"

"Wait until I get my breath," he said. "One would think that you
were in a desperate hurry, by the pace you go. Plague on all such
fast walkers!"

That made me laugh, and he smiled across his broad face in return.