Part 10 (1/2)

When he careeted hi about his neck Then he told her all that had coht it a rimur, her husband, was not alive to know it But Eric mused a while, and spoke

”Mother,” he said, ”now hter, my cousin Unna, has no hos It comes into my mind that we should bid her here to dith us”

”Why, I thought thou wast betrothed to Gudruda the Fair,” said Saevuna

”Wherefore, then, wouldst thou bring Unna hither?”

”For this cause,” said Eric; ”because it seems that Asmund the Priest wearies of Groa the Witch, and would take another wife, and I wish to draw the bands between us tighter, if it may befall so”

”Groa will take it ill,” said Saevuna

”Things cannot be worse between us than they are now, therefore I do not fear Groa,” he answered

”It shall be as thou wilt, son; to-morroill send to Unna and bid her here, if it pleases her to come”

Now Ospakar stayed three more days at Middalhof, till his horses were found, and he was fit to travel, for Eric had shaken him sorely But he had no words with Gudruda and feith Asood cheer, for he should yet have Gudruda

For now that the maid had passed fro her Bjorn also, Asood coht the th Ospakar rode away to Swinefell with all his company; but Gizur, his son, left his heart behind

For Swanhild had not been idle this while Her heart was sore, but she must follow her ill-nature, and so she had put out her wo her But she did not love hiry that Gizur dared not ask her inwas said of the matter

Now Unna came to Coldback, to dith Saevuna, Eric's mother, and she was a fair and buxom woman She had been once wedded, but within a e her husband was lost at sea, this two years gone At first Gudruda was so of Unna to Coldback; but Eric showed her as in his mind, and she fell into the plan, for she hated and feared Groa greatly, and desired to be rid of her

Since this reat loathing of Groa had coht him often of those words that his wife Gudruda the Gentle spoke as she lay dying, and grieved that the oath which he swore then had in part been broken

He would have no more to do with Groa now, but he could not be rid of her; and, notwithstanding her evil doings, he still loved Swanhild But Groa grew thin with spite and rage, and wandered about the place glaring with her great black eyes, and people hated her more and more

Now Asmund went to visit at Coldback, and there he saw Unna, and was pleased with her, for she was a blithe woman and a bonny The end of it was that he asked her in lad, but said that he must know Unna's h As oods, and hted troth, and the wedding-feast was to be in the autumn after hay-harvest Now Asmund rode back to Middalhof sos must be told to Groa, and he feared her and her witchcraft In the hall he found her, standing alone

”Where hast thou been, lord?” she asked

”At Coldback,” he answered

”To see Unna, Eric's cousin, perchance?”

”That is so”

”What is Unna to thee, then, lord?”

”This much, that after hay-harvest she will be my wife, and that is ill news for thee, Groa”

Now Groa turned and grasped fiercely at the air with her thin hands Her eyes started out, foam was on her lips, and she shook in her fury like a birch-tree in the wind, looking so evil that As:

”Now a veil is lifted frolaone”

”Mayhap, Asmund Asmundson--mayhap, thou knowest uise before thou weddest Unna What! have I borne the greatest sha by thy side theseand fair, creep into my place with honour? That I will not while runes have power and spells can conjure the evil thing upon thee I call down ruin on thee and thine--yea and on Brighteyes also, for he has brought this thing to pass Death take ye all! May thy blood no longer run in mortal veins anywhere on the earth!