ve no hand in this, I will fix it at twelve ounces of
silver. And if it should come to be your turn to settle an award, I
shall not expect to pay more than that.'

So Gunnar laid down the money and gave it to Bergthora his wife when he
came home with his sons from the Thing. And Bergthora was content, but
said to her husband that it should not be spent, as it would some day do
to make atonement for Kol.

Although Hallgerda met her husband bravely and answered him boldly, in
secret she trembled a little at his stern face and sharp words, as he
told her that she was to remember that whatever quarrels she might
choose to begin, the ending of them would always lie with him. But she
pretended not to care, and went out among her neighbours as usual,
telling all who would listen the tale of the killing of Swart. At length
this reached the ears of Bergthora, and she was sore angered, but bided
her time in silence.

When Njal and his sons went up to the pastures to see after the cattle,
and the thralls were busy working in the fields, Bergthora the mistress
was left alone in the house. On this day a man mounted on a black horse
and armed with a spear and a short sword rode up to the door and asked
her if she could find something for him to do. He was skilled in many
things, he said, but his temper was hot, and had oftentimes been his
bane.

'I will give you work,' answered Bergthora, 'but you must do whatever I
bid you, even though it should be to slay a man.'

'You have plenty of other men whom you can better trust on such
business,' replied the man, as if he repented of his bargain; but
Bergthora only told him that she expected her servants to do as they
were bid, and sent the man to put his horse in the stable.

During that summer another Thing was held and Njal and his sons went to
it, and likewise Gunnar. But Bergthora was left alone in the house with
her servants.

Then she called Atli, the new man, and bade him seek out Kol, that he
might slay him, so Atli took his horse and his sword and spear and
departed.

He found Kol in the place where some men had shown him, and he spoke to
Kol civilly, but only received rude tones in answer. So, without more
ado, Atli thrust at him, and Kol, though wounded, swung his axe above
his head; but his eyes had grown dim, and he could not see to aim, and
he fell to the ground and rolled over.

Atli left the body where it was, and rode on till he came to some of
Gunnar's men, an