The outline of her face was sharper and the roses glowed more faintly in
her cheeks, but she welcomed him with her beautiful frank smile.

"I was hoping some of you would think it worth while to come over here.
It is a great relief for me to speak to a man again. I am so tired of
women and their endless gabble of brewing and spinning. Yesterday
Freydis, Eric's daughter, drove over, and all the while she was here she
talked of nothing but--"

"Eric's daughter?" Alwin repeated in surprise. "Not until now have I
heard that Leif had a sister. Why is she never spoken of? Where does she
live?"

Helga shrugged impatiently. "She lives at Gardar with a witless man
named Thorvard, whom she married for his wealth. She is a despisable
creature. And the reason no one speaks of her is that if he did he would
feel Thorhild's hands in his hair. There is great hatred between them.
Yesterday they quarrelled before Freydis had been here any time at all.
And I was about to say that I was glad of it, since it brought about
Freydis' departure: all the time she was here she spoke of nothing save
her ornaments and costly things. Oh, I do not see why Odin had the wish
to create women! It would have been pleasanter if they had remained
elm-trees."

Alwin regarded her with eyes of the warmest good-will. "It would become
a heavy misfortune to me if you were an elm-tree,--though it is likely
that I should speak with you then quite as often as I do now. Except at
meals, I seldom see you. But I never pass your window that I do not
remember that you are toiling within, and say to myself that I am sorry