Ulric the Jarl: A Story of the Penitent Thief

by William O. Stoddard

"Not in a place of buying," laughed Tostig, "and we are not now an army. We must pay."

"I am not a thief," said Knud. "I will pay, but I shall surely be cheated."

"No doubt," said Tostig. "So do we need to take more coins. The Greek is right."

Then they returned to their camp and Lysias stood before Ulric speaking. The jarl listened with care and he became very thoughtful, for Lysias told him all the words of the Ionians.

"So, we are to have foot soldiers hunting in these forests," he said. "I had thought of that. Thou didst well to slay them. But we who are Saxons may not disperse. Go thou and seek thine own safety. Go thou, also, Ben Ezra. Thou art among thine own people."

"Not so," said Ben Ezra. "Let Lysias go, but I remain with thee for a season. Thou needest a guide. It were well for thee and thy men to cross the plains of Esdraelon and get into the mountains of Gilboa. We will go by night, for there is no safety for us in Carmel."

To all the Saxons Ulric interpreted the words of the Jew, and they said to him:

"Thou art the jarl; we will follow thee. But should we not first slay this Lysias?"

"Not so," said Ulric. "He hath fought for us this day."