, thy brother-in-law, will try to atone by
gifts, and friendship, and all honour in my power, as long as we both
live; and if he will come home to stay with me he shall be right
welcome."

Thorbiorn agreed to the award, saying carelessly: "I will pay him at
home in my own country, if he will come to me when I have more
leisure."

"No," said Guest, who distrusted Thorbiorn, "thou shalt pay here, and
now, fully; and I myself will pay one wergild, to help thee in
atonement." When this was agreed Howard sat down in the ring, and
Guest gave him the one wergild (a hundred of silver), which Howard
received in the skirt of his cloak; and then Thorbiorn paid one
wergild slowly, coin by coin, and said he had no more money; but Guest
bade him pay it all.

Then Thorbiorn drew out a cloth and untied it, saying, "He will surely
count himself paid in full if I give him this!" and he flung into the
old man's face, as he sat on the ground, the teeth of the dead Olaf,
saying, "Here are thy son's teeth!"

Howard sprang up, bleeding, mad with rage and grief. The silver rolled
in all directions from his cloak as he came to his feet, but he heeded
it not at all. Blinded with blood, and furious, he broke through the
ring of assessors, dashed one of them to earth, and rushed away like a
young man; but when he came to Steinthor's booth he lay as if dead,
and spoke to no man.

[Illustration: "The silver rolled in all directions from his cloak"]

Guest would have no more to do with Thorbiorn. "Thou hast no equal for
cruelty and evil; thou shalt surely repent it," he said; and he rode
to Bathstead, took his sister away, with all her wealth, and broke off
his alliance with Thorbiorn, caring nothing for the shame he put upon
so unjust a man.

Howard went home, told Biargey all that had happened, and took to his
bed again, a poor, old, helpless, miserable man; but his wife, who saw
her presage beginning to come true, kept up her courage, rowed out
fishing every day, and guided the household for yet another year.

Biargey and her Brethren

That summer, one day, as Biargey was rowed out to the fishing as
usual, she saw Thorbiorn's boat coming up the firth, and bade her man
take up the lines and go to meet him, and row round the cutter, while
she talked with Thorbiorn. As Biargey's little boat approached the
cutter Thorbiorn stopped his vessel for he saw that she would speak
with him, and her boat circled round the cutter while she asked h