grow less in Thiostolf's eyes to kill Atli if he were alive."

"Thou shalt have no need to goad me on much more," he says, and
then he seized his weapons, and takes his horse and mounts, and
rides to Thorolfsfell. There he saw a great reek of coalsmoke
east of the homestead, so he rides thither, and gets off his
horse and ties him up, but he goes where the smoke was thickest.
Then he sees where the charcoal pit is, and a man stands by it.
He saw that he had thrust his spear in the ground by him.
Brynjolf goes along with the smoke right up to him, but he was
eager at his work, and saw him not. Brynjolf gave him a stroke
on the head with his axe, and he turned so quick round that
Brynjolf loosed his hold of the axe, and Atli grasped the spear,
and hurled it after him. Then Brynjolf cast himself down on the
ground, but the spear flew away over him.

"Lucky for thee that I was not ready for thee," says Atli, "but
now Hallgerda will be well pleased, for thou wilt tell her of my
death; but it is a comfort to know that thou wilt have the same
fate soon; but come now take thy axe which has been here."

He answered him never a word, nor did he take the axe before he
was dead. Then he rode up to the house on Thorolfsfell, and told
of the slaying, and after that rode home and told Hallgerda. She
sent men to Bergthorsknoll, and let them tell Bergthora that now
Kol's slaying was paid for.

After that Hallgerda sent a man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of
Atli's killing.

Gunnar stood up, and Kolskegg with him, and Kolskegg said,
"Unthrifty will Hallgerda's kinsmen be to thee."

Then they go to see Njal, and Gunnar said, "I have to tell thee
of Atli's killing." He told him also who slew him, and went on,
"And now I will bid thee atonement for the deed, and thou shalt
make the award thyself."

Njal said, "We two have always meant never to come to strife
about anything; but still I cannot make him out a thrall."

Gunnar said that was all right, and stretched out his hand.

Njal named his witnesses, and they made peace on those terms.

Skarphedinn said, "Hallgerda does not let our housecarles die
of old age."

Gunnar said, "Thy mother will take care that blow goes for blow
between the houses."

"Ay, ay," says Njal, "there will be enough of that work."

After that Njal fixed the price at a hundred in silver, but
Gunnar paid it down at once. Many who stood by said that the
award was high; Gunnar got wroth, and said t