Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

CONRAD THE SAXON, mand solemnly, but Conrad caught a twinkle in his eye, inspired by the incon- eruity of the situation. Guthrum was in the humor of a savage bear of the northern mountains, but he desired gayety, and was quite capable of ordering torture and death for any one who might disappoint him. To Conrad’s further astonishment, Al- fred struck up a ballad in the Danish tongue. It was a strange language to the young Roman, but he recognized it from certain painful experiences of the past, and marveled at the Saxon king’s easy famil- iarity with it. It seemed necessary for the minstrel’s assistant to play a part, so Conrad softly ~ tuned his harp to the key of the other one. Guthrum continued to scowl darkly, but after the first stanza was sung he nodded to the captain, indicating that the singing was to go on, and Alfred continued. Conrad, taking heart at even so little en- couragement, labored to carry on his own simple part, and presently he grew bold enough to cast his eye around the circle of officers and retainers that formed a back- ground for the throne. Suddenly his glance was arrested by a face, and a thrill shot through him which chilled his marrow. His fingers ‘fumbled the strings for an instant, but he controlled himself sharply and went on. Standing close to the left shoulder of King Guthrum, with dark and threatening eyes bent upon the minstrels, was Waldher, the Saxon knight of Eadgar’s household. Conrad had seen him last as he was driven half naked from the forest of Ath- elney by Alfred’s henchmen, but it ap- peared that his fortunes had changed for the better. He was wearing rich armor of the Danish fashion, and he stood among officers that were high in favor of the Dan- ish king. ae CHAPTER XV. MERRY WAR. OQ soorier did Conrad recognize the sinister face of Waldher among the officers and courtiers grouped around Guthrum’s throne than he sensed clearly that Alfred also had discovered him. The 9A performance. 609 disguised king gave him a furtive sidelong glance that was eloquent of the gravity of their situation, but he did not falter. There was no interruption to the singing of the heroic Danish ballad, and the Saxon king sang it so well that the Viking listened at- tentively, even though his lowering brows did not lift to give promise of a softer mood. Conrad strummed softly upon his harp, keeping up the harmony as best he could, and did not look at Waldher again. He knew that the knight was watching him and the king, but tried to appear uncon- cerned, while his mind was in a turmoil of confused thoughts and desperate ideas. Waldher had evidently allied himself with the Danes more actively than Eadgar had done in keeping a truce with them, and the tie of Saxon blood would not serve to make him merciful, or forgetful of the indignities he had suffered at the hands of Alfred and his yeomen ‘that day in the forest of Athelney. King Alfred was either fearless and in- different to the renegade knight’s machi- nations, or a consummate actor, for he seemed to put even more fervor into his The ballad, as well as Con- rad could make out from his meager knowl- edge of the Danish tongue, celebrated cer- tain heroic and glorious deeds of the sea rovers, and the audience in general gave rapt attention and obvious approval, though the Danish king’s forbidding coun- tenance was no index to his emotions. At the end of the ballad there was vo- ciferous applause from the officers and sol- diers, and Guthrum nodded sullenly, but indicated with a gesture that the minstrel was to go on with his singing. As Conrad expected, Waldher started forward toward the throne, his eyes gleam- ing with fierce purpose. Guthrum turned his head, scowled with irritation at the threatened interruption, and waved Wald- her back to his place peremptorily. What did Waldher know? That was the question that burned in Conrad’s mind. Young Herwin knew King Alfred, but Waldher had betrayed no recognition when they met in the forest. There was trouble enough at hand, at any rate, but much de- EOPMIE OOO KS (E©)