ed "Aye."

"Then you believe that he can revenge himself upon one who rejects and
affronts him?"

"Aye," they answered again.

"If this be so," I went on, "will you swear to leave the matter between
Odin and me, Olaf, to be settled according to the law of single combat,
and give peace to the victor, with promise from all harm save at the
hands of his foe?"

"Aye," they answered, yet scarcely understanding what they said.

"Good!" I cried. "Now, God Odin, I, Olaf, a man, challenge you to single
combat. Strike you first, you, Odin, whom I name Devil and Wolf of the
skies, but no god. Strike you first, bloody murderer, and kill me, if
you can, who await your stroke!"

Then I folded my arms and stared at the statue's stony eyes, which
stared back at me, while all the people gasped.

For a full minute I waited thus, but all that happened was that a wren
settled on the head of Odin and twittered there, then flew off to its
nest in the thatch.

"Now," I cried, "you have had your turn, and mine comes."

I drew the Wanderer's sword, and sprang at Odin. My first stroke sunk up
to the hilt in his hollow belly; my next cut the sceptre from his hand;
my third--a great one--hewed the head from off him. It came rattling
down, and out of it crawled a viper, which reared itself up and hissed.
I set my heel upon the reptile's head and crushed it, and slowly it
writhed itself to death.

"Now, good folk," I cried, "what say you of your god Odin?"

They answered nothing, for all of them were in flight. Yes, even Leif
fled, cursing me over his shoulder as he went.

Presently I was alone with the dead Steinar and the shattered god, and
in that loneliness strange visions came to me, for I felt that I had
done a mighty deed, one that made me happy. Round the wall of the
temple crept a figure; it was that of Freydisa, whose face was white and
scared.

"You are a great man, Olaf," she said; "but how will it end?"

"I do not know," I answered. "I have done what my heart told me, neither
more nor less, and I bide the issue. Odin shall have his chance, for
here I stay till dark, and then, if I live, I leave this land. Go, get
me all the gold that is mine from the hall, and bring it here to me by
moonrise, and with it some garments and my armour. Bring me also my best
horse."

"You leave this land?" she said. "That means that you leave me, who love
you, to go forth as the Wanderer went--following a dream to the South.
Well, it is