Faint and far off as a whisper they reached her, and sounded in her ears, “The magic sleep,” and she knew no more.
[CHAPTER XIII—VICTORY SITS WITH THE SAXONS]
When Egwina awoke from her sleep, the sun was shining, and she did not know where she was. She was lying on a tick of straw which seemed to be moving under her. To her amazement, on sitting up, she found that she was in a rude cart with two Danish women and some children. As the memory of the events of the night before rushed upon her mind, she felt for the jewel of the king. It was gone. A torrent of bitterness gashed into her soul.
“Where is Gyda?” she demanded of the women fiercely.
“She went with Sigurd the skald we know not whither,” answered one of them. “To thee, maiden, she bade us say that as she had obtained the jewel, she had kept her word, and sent thee from the hand of Hakon Jarl, so that thou mightst not have to lead him to thy king. Also she bade us say to thee that naught else of thine adornment was touched save the jewel only. Behold the chain which the jarl gave thee; the bracelet, and thy other ornaments are untouched.”
“Tell me where we are and whither we go?” cried the girl eagerly.
“We go into Devonshire to join Hubba, who hath wintered in Demetia, and now cometh into the land of the Saxon from the west. It draws near the time for the feast of the spring. Then will the Northman sweep over the whole of the land, and finish that which he hath so well begun.”
Egwina groaned. And none was there to warn the king.
“See,” she said to the women taking from her throat the chain which the jarl had given her; “here is this, and the bracelet also. Both are of much value. Ye shall have them if ye will let me go from ye unmolested.”
The women shook their heads, and the one who had done the speaking spake again: