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154 shall I do? He says my father must leave me soon, and I will be all alone in this wild, strange land. He would be my lord, but O dear Christ! I want no lord, no home, in this strange land. If Thou dost call my father to Thee, in pity call me too, since I can never see my own fair land.”

Lady Aastrid found Thorgills standing as Maidoch had left him. “The little bird flew out so swiftly, I wot thou hast frighted her.”

“Nay, dear lady, I would not have willingly frighted her, but she spoke of her father with so great tenderness and sorrow that my heart could not be still, and in my strong need of comforting her I have but driven her away with my rough wooing.”

“Patience! patience! my friend,” the lady answered. “Now tell me of our Olaf.”

“The king is greatly disturbed by the boldness of Ironbeard. In spite of all the labors of Bishop Sigurd and his priests, the earl still holds the Tronders to their heathen faith. Then Thore Klakka, the steward who served Jarl Haakon so long, and of whom Olaf will believe no evil, for he holds that Thore brought him to his kingdom,—this Thore hath joined the Thane Ironbeard, and ever incites the Tronders to hatred of the Christian priests.”

“How fares Olaf with the Greek priests, Sergius and his brethren?”

“The king would send them back to Constantinople. They are too harsh with our heathen, and