she scarce knew what answer she made him.

"It is a perilous thing to follow a soldier of fortune," she said.
"For none can tell whether such a man will keep his plighted
troth."

Before Sir Archie had time to answer, a sailor came into the
tavern.

He went up to Sir Archie and told him he was sent by the skipper
of the great gallias which lay in the ice behind Klovero. The
skipper prayed Sir Archie and all his men to make ready their
goods and come aboard that evening. The storm had sprung up again
and the sea was clearing far away to the westward. It might well
be that before daybreak they would have open water and could sail
for Scotland.

"You hear what this man says?" said Sir Archie to Elsalill. "Will
you come with me?"

"No," said Elsalill, "I will not go with you."

But in her heart she was very glad, for she thought: "Now belike
it will turn out so that he may escape ere the watch can come and
seize him."

Sir Archie rose and went over to Sir Philip and Sir Reginald and
spoke to them of the message. "Get you back to the inn before me,"
he said, "and make all ready. I have a word or two yet to say to
Elsalill."