head with Eric's
sword."

Now Gudruda put her hand to her bosom. She drew out a satchel, and from
the satchel a lock of yellow hair. Side by side she placed the locks,
looking first at one and then at the other.

"This is Eric's hair in sooth," she said--"Eric's hair that he swore
none but I should cut! Eric's hair that Swanhild shore with Whitefire
from Eric's head--Whitefire whereon we plighted troth! Say now, whose
blood is this that stains the hair of Eric?"

"It is Atli's blood, whom Eric first dishonoured and then slew with his
own hand," answered Hall.

Now there burned a fire on the hearth, for the day was cold. Gudruda the
Fair stood over the fire and with either hand she let the two locks of
Eric's hair fall upon the embers. Slowly they twisted up and burned. She
watched them burn, then she threw up her hands and with a great cry fled
from the hall.

Bjoern and Hall of Lithdale looked on each other.

"Thou hadst best go hence!" said Bjoern; "and of this I warn thee, Hall,
though I hold thy tidings good, that, if thou hast spoken one false
word, that will be thy death. For then it would be better for thee to
face all the wolves in Iceland than to stand before Eric in his rage."

Again Hall bethought himself of the axe of Skallagrim, and he went out
heavily.

That day a messenger came from Gudruda to Bjoern, saying that she would
speak with him. He went to where she sat alone upon her bed. Her face
was white as death, and her dark eyes glowed.

"Eric has dealt badly with thee, sister, to bring thee to this sorrow,"
said Bjoern.

"Speak no evil of Eric to me," Gudruda answered. "The evil that he has
done will be paid back to him; there is little need for thee to heap
words upon his head. Hearken, Bjoern my brother: is it yet thy will that
I should wed Ospakar Blacktooth?"

"That is my will, surely. There is no match in Iceland as this Ospakar,
and I should win many friends by it."

"Do this then, Bjoern. Send messengers to Swinefell and say to Ospakar
that if he would still wed Gudruda the Fair, Asmund's daughter, let
him come to Middalhof when folk ride from the Thing and he shall not go
hence alone. Nay, I have done. Now, I pray thee speak no more to me of
Eric or of Ospakar. Of the one I have seen and heard enough, and of the
other I shall hear and see enough in the years that are to come."

XXII

HOW ERIC CAME HOME AGAIN

Swanhild made a good passage from the Orkneys, and was in