Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 172: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

170 he had passed across their line of march, and they were arguing that the young Jarl should lead them to attack him. “T do not see that that is necessary,” re- plied Jarl Harald stubbornly. “Let us rather study what Thorbiorn does, and bide until Jarl Rognvald joins us. Then, perhaps, we——” It was at this pomt that Jomar’s mes- senger pushed his way through the ranks of Jarl Harald’s attendants. “Jarl Rognvald will never join you, Lord Jarl,’ he panted. “Thorbiorn has slain him > P] Jarl Harald clutched his spear very tight. “Are you sure of this?” he asked. “I saw the Jarl dead,” affirmed the messenger. “Alas, this is what I foresaw,” cried Jarl Harald. “Well I knew, naught but trouble would issue from this expedition.” Then he asked the messenger if there was anything possible to be done in Jarl Rogn- vald’s behalf, and the messenger answered— “Only a fitting vengeance.” At this Jarl Harald blinked his eyes. “Vengeance is a word I have never liked,” he said. “Let us endeavor instead to see that no more men’s lives are sacrificed in this vain quarrel.” He marshaled his men to the edge of the bog, where Jarl Rognvald’s folk, leaderless and blind in their rage, were casting spears at Thorbiorn’s men. Thorbiorn, very craftily, instructed his men not to cast back the spears that were hurled at them, and so by the time Jarl Harald had arrived practically all the spears of his assailants were in his hands. Jarl Rognvald’s fol- lowers were not numerous enough to force their way across the bog and the moss-hag in face of the men at Thorbiorn’s back, and they were equally at a loss for lack of a leader who was skilled in war. Tomar and others ran to Jarl Harald’s side as he rode amongst them. “See, Lord Jarl,” they called. “There are the murderers of our lord. Do you lead your men and us, and we will soon get across and be the means of his death.” “And if I do so many of you will die,” answered Jarl Harald. “Let us see if we can not arrange matters otherwise.” There were loud protests at this from the ranks of Jarl Rognvald’s men, and Thor- biorn, noting the apparent dissensions amongst his adversaries, went to the edge Adventure of the moss-hag and called across to Jarl Harald. “Do not let these men take away my life, kinsman,” he said.. “What I have done weighs heavy upon me, but I had no choice save to do it, for if I. had not slain Jarl Rognvald he would have been my death.” “Tt was an evil deed, Thorbiorn,”’ replied Jarl Harald sorrowfully. “I know not what I can do.” “No, then, kinsman,’ Thorbiorn said again, “if it was an evil deed, as you say, why will it be less evil for you and I, be- tween us, to be the deaths of a score or two more? Here are your folk and mine, each of us well armed and determined, and if we come to weapon-clashing there will be such a man-scathe as will be mourned for many years.” “T know that to be so, Thorbiorn,” said Jarl Harald, “but Jarl Rognvald’s men are very bitter against you, and they sa ts “Let them say what they please,” urged Thorbiorn boldly, for he saw now that Jarl . Harald was indeed loath to move against him. “If I have slain Jarl Rognvald, who will profit from it, unless it be you?” “No, no,” cried Jarl Harald. “But I say it must be you,” insisted Thor- biorn. ‘For he had you under his thumb and left you no more power than if you had been a page, so that you were Jarl only in name. It is a crime to be the death of a man, I know, but great good may flow from any deed, and surely you would be the last to say that I have harmed you by what I have done, seeing that to you will revert all Jarl Rognvald’s dominions, he having left no son.” “He was my good friend,” answered Jarl Harald, ‘‘and I had all the power I required under him. You do ill to try to poison me against hismemory. He wasa good lord, as all men say.” ‘That was he,’’ Thorbiorn agreed readily. ‘And like all good lords and strong war- riors he seized all the power he could. So, likewise, will you, now that you are Jarl alone. And why would it be wicked for you to deal gently with me, who have never harmed you? If you do otherwise many of us must die, and men and women will call down curses upon your name.” “What I can do in this matter I am not sure,’ replied Jarl Harald, “but I could never let you go unpunished. It is a dread- ful thing to slay a Jarl, Thorbiorn.” comicbooks.c@ 5}