She sat up, and seemed much better and stronger for the hope that was infused into her. “Hadst thou not better return now, Hilda?” asked Siegbert. “Thou hast stayed out long enow for one day.” “Nay, I would talk more with the maiden,” returned Hilda. “So soon as I return will I get my father to send bode to King Alfred to ask of him where lie the bones of Cuthbert. Maiden, believest thou in runes of the volva?” Egwina shook her head. “The runes tell me of speedy death,” said Hilda. “But, Hilda, thou wert baptized with thy father,” chid Egwina. “Thou canst not now believe in runes, or any of the seid of the volva.” “Do not the Saxons?” inquired Hilda. “I have heard that even they who hold belief in Christianity consult the Morthwyrtha by fount and elm and scin-laeca.” Egwina winced, but answered bravely: “Too true, Hilda. Many of our people do so deal with such pagan ideas, but it is forbidden by priest and our most holy religion. I have heard it said that some worship still the old gods, despite word of king or monk.” “But why forsook they the olden gods?” cried the Danish girl. “I like not the Saxon God. In what is He better than Odin? Whom can ye give us in place of our beautiful Baldur the glorious? ‘Worship the Saxon God,’ is the command that hath gone forth from my father, and the people obey because he hath said; but still do they cling to Odin, and Thor, and Baldur. Once as we worship, so did ye. Why did ye change?” “Hast thou not heard how the good Pope Gregory sent the priests to Britain?” asked Egwina. “No; tell me,” and Hilda, leaned back comfortably against Siegbert. “If I am to worship in this new religion I wish to know of it; but little do I care for aught of it save Cuthbert.” “Wottest thou not that often men of our island have been sold as serfs into other countries?” asked Egwina. “Yes; as it hath been with ye in that respect, so hath it been with us.” “Well, at one time in the city of Rome there were some men from our island to be sold as serfs. While they stood in the market place, Pope Gregory of blessed memory was passing by. He was a simple priest then, but afterward became pope. Being attracted by the exceeding fairness of the men, he stopped. “‘From what country come ye?’ he asked. They replied that they were ‘Angles.’ ‘Angles! Ye should be angels! Are ye Christians,’ said the holy man, ‘or heathens?’ ‘Certainly not Christians,’ said they, ‘for no one hath opened our ears.’ Then the holy man, lifting up his eyes, replied, ‘What man, when there are stones at hand, layeth a foundation with reeds?’ They answered, ‘No man of prudence.’ ‘Ye have well said,’ said he, and straightway did he take them to his own house and instruct them in the divine oracles, and arrange with them that he should go into their country to carry the holy religion.