“And thou art Egwina, my own little sister!” Siegbert touched her gently, a glad light shining in his grave, beautiful eyes. “Said not Hilda that we looked alike! I thought that thou and our grandsire likewise were slain, because I knew the Northmen had overrun the country. I thought never to see thee again, sister.” He lingered lovingly over the last word, as though it were sweet to him. “Now is my search ended before it hath begun. But tell me of my grandfather and of thyself. How it hath fared with thee these many years.” Egwina told him of their wanderings, and of Wulfhere’s death. Siegbert’s eyes flashed proudly at the manner of it. “I grieve not for him,” he said. “Glorious was his end! So may I die—with front to foe in defense of my country! Say on, sister.” Egwina told all. The life in the forest at the cottage of Denewulf; Athelney, the palace and Edward’s love; of Gyda and the ordeal, and finally how she came to be there at Anlaf’s. Siegbert turned to her, an anxious expression on his face. “Not now, Egwina, wilt thou seek the cloister, wilt thou? Thy brother cannot give thee up, now that he hath found thee.” “Dear brother, never will I leave thee unless thou sendest me from thee,” said Egwina, kissing him. “We will go to the king, and thou shalt enter his service, and learn of his wisdom. I have eaten of the king’s bread, and for my sake, will he aid thee. And not only for my sake, but because thou art a Saxon.” “Nay, my sister. We will go not to the king. Sometime in the future mayhap, when Edward hath taken another to himself, but not now. We will go to London, an’ it please thee, sister. There thou and I shall dwell together, and hard will it go with us, if thy brother doth not gain thegn’s rank for thy sweet sake.” “If it pleaseth thee, then doth it please me,” answered Egwina. “So that we be near each other.” CHAPTER XXVIII—AN UNEXPECTED GUEST To London, or, as it was then known, Lundenbrige, the old British name, the brother and sister went. London, with its narrow, winding streets and low dwellings. London, which has grown from the rudiments of a municipal constitution which Alfred planted to the metropolis of to-day. London, which owes to the same king not only its municipality, but also the defenses which rendered it impregnable to the later attacks of the Danes. Close by the bridge which had spanned the Thames from Roman times immemorial, at the meeting-places of the roads in that district known as East Cheap, the two found a cottage and there did they dwell. Already possessed of some knowledge of the craft of goldsmith, Siegbert allied himself with foreign workmen and cultivated the craft assiduously, soon becoming an expert. Egwina attended to the duties of the little household and happily the time glided by. All that she had learned of books at the court of the king did she impart to Siegbert, so that in giving to him of her learning she but impressed it the more firmly upon her own mind.