exultant　Danes　rose　higher　and　higher。　Again　a　general　cry
  rose　to　St。　Germain　to　come　to　the　aid　of　the　town。　Just　at
  this　moment　Edmund　and　Egbert；　who　had　till　now　held　the
  Saxons　in　reserve；　feeling　that　a　desperate　effort　must　be
  made；　formed　up　their　band；　and　advancing　to　the　principal
  breach；　passed　through　the　ranks　of　the　disheartened　Franks；
  and　with　levelled　pikes　charged　headlong　down　into　the　crowd
  of　Danes。　The　latter；　already　exhausted　by　their　efforts；　were
  at　once　borne　back　before　the　serried　pikes　of　their　fresh
  assailants。　In　vain　their　chiefs　at　that　point　tried　to　rally　them；
  nothing　could　withstand　the　impetus　of　the　Saxon　attack。
  Astonished　at　seeing　the　tide　of　battle　swept　away　from
  the　breach；　the　French　believed　that　St。　Germain　had　wrought
  a　miracle　in　their　favour；　and　taking　heart　poured　out　in　the
  rear　of　the　Saxons。　The　news　of　the　miracle　spread　rapidly。
  Through　the　breaches；　and　from　every　gate；　they　poured　out
  suddenly　upon　the　Danes；　who；　struck　with　consternation　at
  this　sudden　onslaught　by　a　foe　whom　they　had　already　regarded
  as　beaten；　hesitated；　and　soon　took　to　flight。　Vast
  numbers　were　cut　down　before　they　could　reach　their　vessels。
  A　great　portion　fled　towards　the　bridge　and　endeavoured
  to　cross　there；　but　their　numbers　impeded　them；　and　the
  Saxons　and　Franks；　falling　upon　their　rear；　effected　a
  terrible　slaughter。
  Two　days　after　the　battle　a　force　of　six　hundred　Franks
  arrived　from　the　Emperor　Charles。　The　Danes　sought　to
  oppose　their　entrance　to　the　city；　but　were　defeated　with　a
  loss　of　three　thousand　men。　The　siege　was　now　virtually
  over；　and　in　a　short　time　the　emperor　himself　with　a　great
  army　arrived。　It　was　now　November；　and　after　some　negotiations
  the　Danes　agreed　upon　the　receipt　of　seven　hundred
  pounds　of　silver　to　retire　to　Burgundy　and　to　leave　the
  country　at　the　beginning　of　March。
  Having　wasted　Burgundy；　however；　they　again　returned
  to　Paris。　Consternation　seized　the　capital　when　the　fleet　of
  the　Northmen　was　seen　approaching。　A　treaty　was；　however；
  made；　for　the　wind　had　fallen　just　when　the　Danish　fleet；
  which　had　but　lately　arrived　and　was　descending　the　river；
  was　abreast　of　Paris。　As　soon　as　the　wind　became　favourable
  the　Northmen　broke　the　truce；　slew　a　number　of　Franks　who
  had　mingled　among　them；　and　passed　up　the　Marne。
  In　the　meantime　Emperor　Charles　had　died　and　Count
  Eudes　had　been　chosen　his　successor。　When　the　Danes　again
  advanced　against　Paris　he　speedily　sent　reinforcements。　The
  town　had　already　repulsed　an　attack。　Eudes　himself　on
  St。　John's　Day　was　advancing　with　1000　men…at…arms　when　he
  was　attacked　by　10；000　mounted　Danes　and　9000　footmen。
  The　combat　was　desperate　but　the　Franks　were　victorious。
  Eudes；　however；　had　other　difficulties。　Burgundy　and
  Aquitaine　revolted；　and　in　order　to　secure　peace　to　the　kingdom
  he　made　a　treaty　with　the　Danes；　giving　over　to　them
  the　province　of　Normandy。
  Edmund　and　Egbert　had　no　part　in　the　second　siege　of
  Paris。　As　soon　as　the　place　was　relieved　by　the　Emperor
  Charles　they　prepared　to　depart。　Taking　boats　they　ascended
  the　river；　and　to　their　joy　found　the　Dragon　safe　in　the
  hiding　place　where　she　had　been　lying　for　nearly　a　year。　She　was
  brought　out　into　the　stream　and　floated　down　to　Paris；　where
  by　the　order　of　Count　Eudes　she　was　thoroughly　repaired
  and　redecorated。
  The　Franks；　convinced　that　next　only　to　the　assistance
  of　St。　Germain　they　owed　the　safety　of　their　city　to　the　valour
  of　the　Saxons；　loaded　them　with　presents；　and　these；　with
  the　gifts　which　they　had　previously　received　after　the
  destruction　of　the　three　towers；　and　the　sums　for　which　the　booty
  captured　from　the　Danes　had　been　sold；　made　up　a　great
  treasure。
  Upon　the　day　before　they　had　arranged　to　sail　a　Danish
  boat　was　seen　rowing　down　the　stream。　It　approached　the
  Dragon　and　the　helmsman　asked：
  〃Is　this　ship　the　Dragon？　and　has　it　for　a　captain　Edmund
  the　Saxon？〃
  〃I　am　Edmund；〃　he　replied；　〃and　this　is　the　Dragon。　What
  would　you　with　me？〃
  〃I　am　sent　by　the　Jarl　Siegbert；　who　lies　wounded　near；
  to　beg　that　you　will　come　to　him　immediately；　as　he　is　in　a
  sore　strait　and　needs　your　assistance。〃
  〃I　will　come　at　once；〃　Edmund　said。　〃Put　one　of　your
  men　on　board　to　show　me　where　he　is；　for　I　shall　be　there
  before　you。〃
  Edmund's　horn　sounded　the　signal；　and　messengers　were
  sent　to　the　town　to　order　the　crew　at　once　to　repair　on　board
  the　Dragon。　Edmund　landed　and　took　leave　of　the　Frankish
  leaders。　The　provisions　and　stores　were　hastily　carried　on
  board；　and　then；　amidst　the　enthusiastic　cheers　of　the
  inhabitants；　who　thronged　the　walls　and　shore；　the　oars　were　got
  out　and　the　Dragon　proceeded　at　the　top　of　her　speed　up　the
  river。
  On　the　way　Edmund　questioned　the　Dane；　and　found
  that　Siegbert　had　been　wounded　in　the　last　assault　upon　Paris。
  He　had　not　been　present　at　the　first　part　of　the　siege；　having
  but　recently　arrived　from　Norway。　His　daughter　Freda　had
  accompanied　him。　〃Yes；〃　she　was　still　unmarried；　although
  many　valiant　Northmen　had　sought　her　hand；　chief　among
  them　the　brave　leader　Sweyn　〃of　the　left　hand；〃　but　there
  had　been　a　fray　on　the　previous　night　in　Siegbert's　camp；
  and　it　was　saidbut　for　that　he　could　not　vouchthat　Freda
  had　been　carried　off。
  The　news　filled　Edmund　with　anxiety。　Ever　since　the
  day　he　left　her　on　her　father's　galley　his　thoughts　had　turned
  often　to　the　Danish　maiden；　and　the　resolution　to　carry　out
  his　promise　and　some　day　seek　her　again　had　never　for　a
  moment　wavered。　He　had　seen　many　fair　young　Saxons；　and
  could　have　chosen　a　bride　where　he　would　among　these；　for
  few　Saxons　girls　would　have　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　the　wooing
  of　one　who　was　at　once　of　high　rank；　a　prime　favourite　with
  the　king；　and　regarded　by　his　countrymen　as　one　of　the　bravest
  of　the　Saxon　champions；　but　the　dark…haired　Freda；　who
  united　the　fearlessness　and　independence　of　a　woman　with
  the　frankness　and　gaiety　of　a　child；　had　won　his　heart。
  It　was　true　she　was　a　Dane　and　a　pagan；　but　her　father
  was　his　friend；　and　would；　he　felt　sure；　offer　no　objections　on
  the　ground　of　the　enmity　of　the　races。　Since　Guthorn　and
  his　people　had　embraced　Christianity；　the　enmity　between
  the　races；　in　England　at　least；　was　rapidly　declining。　As　to
  her　religion；　Edmund　doubted　not　that　she　would；　under　his
  guidance　and　teaching；　soon　cast　away　the　blood…stained　gods
  of　the　Northmen　and　accept　Christianity。
  In　the　five　years　of　strife　and　warfare　which　had　elapsed
  since　he　saw　her　Edmund　had　often　pictured　their　next　meeting。
  He　had　not　doubted　that　she　would　remain　true　to　him。
  Few　as　were　the　words　which　had　been　spoken；　he　knew　that
  when　she　said；　〃I　will　wait　for　you　even　till　I　die；〃　she　had
  meant　it；　and　that　she　was　not　one　to　change。　He　had　even
  been　purposing；　on　his　return　to　England；　to　ask　King　Alfred
  to　arrange　through　Guthorn　for　a　safe　pass　for　him　to　go　to
  Norway。　To　hear；　then；　that　she　had　been　carried　off　from
  her　father's　side　was　a　terrible　blow；　and　in　his　anxiety　to
  arrive　at　Siegbert's　tent　Edmund　urged　the　rowers　to　their
  fullest　exertions。
  It　was　three　hours　after　leaving　Paris　when　the　Dane
  pointed　to　a　village　at　a　short　distance　from　the　river　and
  told　him　that　Siegbert　was　lying　there。　The　Dragon　was　steered
  to　shore；　and　Edmund　leaping　out　followed　the　Dane　with
  rapid　footsteps　to　the　village。　The　wounded　jarl　was　lying
  upon　a　heap　of　straw。
  〃Is　it　really　you；　Edmund？〃　he　exclaimed　as　the　young
  Saxon　entered。　〃Glad　am　I　indeed　that　my　messenger　did
  not　arrive　too　late。　I　heard　of　you　when　we　first　landed
  how　the　Danes；　when　they　sailed　up　the　Seine；　had　seen　a
  Saxon　galley　of　strange　shape　which　had　rowed　rapidly　up
  the　river；　how　the　galley　herself　had　never　again　been　seen；
  but　how　a　young　Saxon　with　his　band　had　performed　wonders
  in　the　defence　of　Paris；　and　had　burned　well…nigh　half
  the　Danish　fleet。
  〃They　said　that　the　leader　was　named　Edmund；　for　they
  had　heard　the　name　shouted　in　battle；　and　especially　when
  he；　with　one　other　alone；　escaped　from　the　burning　tower
  and　swam　the　river。　So　I　was　sure　that　it　was　you。　Then；　a
  week　back；　my　men　told　me　of　a　strange　ship　which　had　passed
  down　the　river　to　Paris；　and　I　doubted　not　that　it　was　your
  Dragon；　which　had　been　hidden　somewhere　during　the　siege。
  I　thought　then　of　sending　to　tell　you　that　I　was　lying　here
  wounded；　but　Freda；　who　had　always　been　talking　of　you；
  suddenly　turned　coy　and　said　that　you　might　have　forgotten
  us；　and　if　you　wanted　us　you　would　come　to　us　in　Norway。〃
  〃But　where　is　Freda？〃　Edmund；　who　had　been　listening
  impatiently；　exclaimed。　〃One　of　your　men　told　me　that　she
  had　been　carried　off。　Is　it　true？〃
  〃Alas！　it　is　true；〃　Siegbert　replied；　〃and　that　is　why　I
  sent　for　you。　I　have　never　been　good　friends　with　Bijorn
  since　the　wounding　of　his　son；　but　after　a　time　the　matter
  blew　over。　Sweyn；　who　though　but　with　one　arm；　and　that
  the　left；　has　grown　into　a　valiant　warrior；　is　now；　Bijorn
  being　dead；　one　of　our　boldest　vikings。　A　year　since　he　became
  a　declared　suitor　for　Freda's　hand。　In　this；　indeed；　he　is　not
  alone；　seeing　that　she　has　grown　up　one　of　our　fairest　maidens；
  a