H. C. Bailey

“ There was an ugly roar from the crowd, and Ethelwold shouted: “I cry her doom, master reeve, I cry her doom!”
“It is good folk-law,” said the reeve. “She hath fed the foes of the King. She must die. Let her be burnt in the Dead Man's field, having first the right of the cord, since she is a maid. How say you——”
This way and that men went reeling as Rolf clove his way to the midst, to Morwenna. He stood there, towering above her, a gleaming giant of war. “Hear my words!” he thundered. “I am he that she saved. My life for hers! My life for hers, master reeve!” ”

“ With a roar of his name and a coarse joke for the lounging guard he clattered into camp. There were no tents nor any shelter at all; the huge mail-shirted men lay bare to earth and sky: but the camp was rich. Droves of horses and cattle it had, rude piles of fodder and household gear, and weeping women bound for slaves. He flung Morwenna down, and with skilful sailor hands lashed her to the rest; he took his dagger, and cut his mark out of her dress, jesting careless the while to careless comrades; but her violet dark eyes saw only him. ”

“ Deep as his own rang another voice: “Room, room for the King!” That bearded horseman was riding into the press, stately and calm. Beneath the blue cloak his mail gleamed like silver, his mitre helmet flamed of gold. ”

“ The huge fighting men lay at their ease, munching dried fish for a whet to the coming feast. In the midst a bearded harper sang. If hard faring or age had not bowed his strength he would have been of a proud presence, and for all the piteous blinking eyelids, that told of failing sight, his face was noble yet. For certain he could sing. His voice rang deep and strong to a strain that set the fierce eyes flashing and strong limbs a-quiver. Now the whole throng moved with a dull clash of steel, and more and more gathered eager to hear. ”

“ Save thyself!” and Ethelwold smote her mouth.
The brave townsmen, who had not dared to match themselves against one mailed Dane, were in no mind to linger there. Roughly they haled her away to the town and struck at her heart with horrible threats. But Morwenna did not shrink, and there was peace in her eyes.
Rolf's anger had borne him at speed. He was all but down to the river; a few yards more would have shown him the stockade and his cousin, Jarl Ragnar, marching out with a company to King Alfred's camp, when he heard Morwenna's cry. He stood like a man of stone. She give him safety! ”

“ There were too many might care to mark her journeys. The Dane set himself to prove his new-born strength. He could walk only a little way without dizziness and trembling, and he tottered back to the cave in a cold rage of impotence. But each hour strength grew in him.
When she came again he took no heed of her greeting, and glowering at her renewed the battle: “Does thy heart wake only for the weak, Morwenna?”
She checked and stood at gaze a moment. “A woman loves most what wants help most.” ”

“ He willed, maybe, that she should see him die, or rage among her kin slaying with naked hands, He came back to the cave and found the tracks of many men. Glowering, he followed their path to the town. But they were far before him in haste with the joy of torture, and they were within the rampart and crying the town moot, and all the folk were running together when he came out to the clearing, and the lonely watchman left by the west gate saw with amazed eyes a single Dane unarmed, marching bold upon the town. The watchman came down to talk with him. Rolf beat him aside and strode on. ”

“ Good law it is that the evil tongue be torn.” Ethelwold slunk hastily into the crowd. “Ay, go thy ways. Little men are quick to torture, slow to endure. Master reeve, and you my folk of Wintonceastre, I thought not to find you at a work of death. I am come home to you with peace.” Like a thunder-clap the roar of joy broke out, and he looked over a wild sea of waving hands. “The host of the Danes hath sworn faith to me with great oaths, and they shall quit Wessex, and dwell at peace in the waste land north of Thames. For there is need of men, and surely they shall breed with us one people. ”

“ On a bare down you stand now, and see Winchester nestling close about the river, silver-grey college and cathedral sedate and comely side by side, and beyond the dark valley, in slow curves, like the muscles of a man's chest, the hills rise dull, lustreless green to the vague grey horizon. ”

“ About them crowded a throng of short-coated cheorls, bare of head and leg, and on the verge the women clung together and whispered. The leaders of that mounted company turned aside from the street to listen. Rolf was on the verge of the throng, looking easily over all to the midst.
Morwenna stood there in the grip of Ethelwold, and calmly met the glare of eyes that knew no mercy. The good Ethelwold made a venomous tale. She was of no honest Saxon blood, a witch herself and the daughter of witches. She had unholy converse with the beasts. She was a werewolf or a troll ”

“ So in this may God work with us, for without Him no man may do aught of good.”
Then the tumult of rejoicing broke again....
But the King turned from the crowd to Morwenna and the Dane. She rested still by his side, but her head was bowed, and her hands crossed on her bosom. His eyes met the King, searching and grave. He was beckoned closer, and man and maid came together. Then, through the glad din: “I have seen a man do a man's deed to-day,” said the King. “Wilt thou be man of mine?”
“Thou art he who played the harper with us,” said Rolf. ”

“ Rolf Ragnar's son had no strength even for that. He lay across. dead men, blue faced, breathing stertorously, and from his riven helm broke a dark mass of clotted blood. After nightfall, through the slumbering wood a woman came leading an ass. She took the Dane in her arms, and clasping him to her bosom, straining all her slight strength, laid him, unconscious still, across her beast, and made away.
When Rolf knew himself again he was lying in a cave of the chalk on a bed of beech-leaves, and he looked up at Morwenna's white brow. ”