Canute's hand shot out and gripped her arm and shook it. "You know this for
certain? I will have your tongue if you lie to me! You are sure that they
intend coming,--that it is not their intention to play me false and return to
Edmund?" His voice was stern, his gaze mercilessly direct. An hour before, the
girl would have shrunk from them both.

One can learn life-lessons in an hour. She faced the roughness now as one
faces a rush of bracing north wind. "I know what I heard them say, Lord King.
They said that Edric Jarl had marched on to St. Alban's to lie there
over-night. Leofwinesson stopped at Avalcomb because he wished to vent his
spite upon my father. It was their intention to meet at the city gate at noon
and come on to join you. They will be here before the sun is set."

Canute released her arm to reach for his goblet. "I wish I could know it for
certain," he muttered. "But it is as the saying has it, 'Though they fight and
quarrel among themselves, the eagles will mate again.'" He looked at her with
a half-smile as he refilled his cup, motioning toward the other flagon. "Fill
up, and we will drink a toast to their loyalty and to your beard; they appear
to be equally in need of encouragement." Draining it off, he sat staring down
into the dregs, twirling the stem thoughtfully between his fingers.

By the time she had shifted her weight twice for each foot, the petitioner
ventured to recall him.

"It gives me some hope, to hear what you say about suspecting Edric Jarl," she
said timidly; "for that makes it appear more likely that you will be willing
to give me justice on his man."

"Justice?" The King's mind came back to her slowly, as from an immense