a purple streak, the best that could be made in all the land. Ragnar
came up.

"They should be here," he said. "The hour is over past."

"Doubtless the fair bride has been long in decking herself," answered my
father, looking at the sun. "She will come presently."

Still time went on, and the company began to murmur, while a strange,
cold fear seemed to grip my heart. At length a man was seen riding
towards the hall, and one cried,

"At last! Here comes the herald!"

Another answered: "For a messenger of love he rides slowly and sadly."
And a silence fell on all that heard him.

The man, a stranger to us, arrived and said:

"I have a message for the lord Thorvald from the lord Athalbrand, which
I was charged to deliver at this hour, neither before nor after. It is
that he sailed for Lesso at the rising of the moon last night, there
purposing to celebrate the marriage of his daughter, the lady Iduna,
with Steinar, lord of Agger, and is therefore grieved that he and the
lady Iduna cannot be present at your feast this day."

Now, when I heard these words I felt as though a spear had been thrust
through me. "Steinar! Oh! surely not with my brother Steinar," I gasped,
and staggered against the door-post, where I stood like one who has been
struck helpless.