ll towards Glum's
house, but it was of no use, and as fast as the sheep were collected
together they all scattered again. Very soon, Glum and Thiostolf grew
tired and ill-tempered, and each told the other he was stupid and lazy.
At length, Glum taunted Thiostolf with being a thrall, and from that
blows quickly followed. Both men drew their axes, but Thiostolf struck
so hard at Glum that he rolled dead upon the ground.

At the sight of Glum lying dead at his feet, Thiostolf's wrath cooled
somewhat. He stooped and covered Glum's body with stones, and took a
gold ring from his finger. After that he took the road back to Varmalek,
and found Hallgerda sitting in front of the door. Her eyes fell
instantly on the bloody axe, and Thiostolf saw this and said hastily:

'Glum, your husband, is slain.'

[Illustration: THIOSTOLF DECIDES TO SLAY GLUM]

'Then it is by your hand,' she answered.

'Yes, it is,' said Thiostolf, and added after a moment's pause: 'What is
best to be done now?'

'Go to Hrut, and ask him,' replied Hallgerda, and Thiostolf went.

* * * * *

'Glum is slain' said Thiostolf to Hrut, who had come down to the door in
answer to Thiostolf's knock.

'Who slew him?' asked Hrut.

'I slew him,' answered Thiostolf.

'Why did you come here?' asked Hrut again.

'Because Hallgerda sent me,' answered Thiostolf.

'Then Hallgerda had no part in his slaying,' said Hrut, with a sound of
relief in his voice; but as he spoke he drew his sword, which Thiostolf
saw, and thrust at Hrut with his axe. Hrut, too, saw, and sprang quickly
aside, knocking up as he did so the handle of the axe, so that it fell
full on the ground. Turning himself swiftly, Hrut dealt Thiostolf a blow
which brought him to his knees, and a stab in the heart finished the
work.

After that Hrut's house-carles laid stones on Thiostolf's body, while he
himself rode away to tell Hauskuld all that had befallen. And soon after
Thorarin, Glum's brother, came there too, with eleven men at his back.
He asked Hauskuld what atonement he would make for Glum, but Hauskuld
answered that it was neither he nor his daughter who had slain Glum, and
that Hrut had avenged himself on Thiostolf. To this Thorarin said
nothing, but Hrut offered to give him gifts, and so peace lay between
them.

Now, Hrut's wife, Unna, was of kin to two brothers, Gunnar and Kolskegg.
Both were tall, brave men, but there was not Gunnar's like in all the
c