Part 33 (2/2)

”From Scotland last, lady, where I sat this winter; before that, fros, they are heavy, if thou hast not heard them

Asmund the Priest is dead, and dead is Unna his wife, poisoned by thy e-feast Dead, too, is thy mother, Groa

Bjorn, Asmund's son, shot her with an arrow, and she lies in Goldfoss pool”

Noanhild hid her face for a while in her hands Then she lifted it and it hite to see ”Speakest thou truth, fox? If thou liest, this I swear to thee--thy tongue shall be dragged from thee by the roots!”

”I speak the truth, lady,” he answered But still he spoke not all the truth, for he said nothing of the part which he had played in the deaths of Asmund and Unna Then he told her of the manner of their end

Swanhild listened silently--then said:

”What news of Gudruda, Ashter? Is she wed?”

”Nay, lady Folk spoke of her and Ospakar, that was all”

”Hearken, Koll,” said Swanhild, ”bearing such heavy tidings, canst thou not weight the shi+p a little hteyes is here Canst thou not swear to him that, when thou didst leave Iceland it was said without question that Gudruda had betrothed herself to Ospakar, and that the wedding-feast was set for this last Yule? Thou hast a hungry look, Koll, and ether ith thee of late Now, if thou canst so charge thy memory, thou shalt lose little by it But, if thou canst not, then thou goest hence from Straumey with never a luck-penny in thy purse, and never a sup to stay thy stos Koll least desired to be sent froht for on the mainland as a thief

”That I ly ”Now I ree for Eric Brighteyes, if I should chance to see him as I journeyed”

Then Swanhild, Atli's wife, and Koll the Half-witted talked long and earnestly together

At nightfall Eric caht, for the time drew near when he should sail for home, and he did not think on evil For now he feared Swanhild no longer, and, no fresh tidings having come from Iceland about Ospakar and Gudruda, he had almost put theso his fish slung upon a pole

At theShe told Eric that the lady Swanhild would speak with hi no answer he knocked again, then entered

Swanhild sat on a couch She eeping, and her hair fell about her face

”What noanhild?” he said

She looked up heavily ”Ill news for thee and me, Eric Koll, as my mother's thrall, has cos: that Ashter, is dead, and s, truly!” said Eric; ”and what of Gudruda, is she also dead?”

”Nay, Eric she is ed to Ospakar”

Now Eric reeled against the wall, clutching it, and for a space all things swaasped ”Send me Koll hither”

Presently he came, and Eric questioned him coldly and calmly But Koll could lie full well It is said that in his day there was no one in Iceland who could lie so well as Koll the Half-witted He told Eric hoas said that Gudruda was plighted to Ospakar, and how thein the suone (and indeed there had been some such talk), and how that the feast was to be at Middalhof on last Yule Day

”Is that all thy tidings?” said Eric ”If so, I give no heed to them: for ever, Koll, I have known thee for a liar!”

”Nay, Eric, it is not all,” answered Koll ”As it chanced, two days before the shi+p in which I sailed was bound, I saw Gudruda the Fair

Then she asked , and I told her that I would journey to London, where e Then she alighted from her horse, Blackmane, and spoke with me apart 'Koll,' she said, 'it well hteyes in London town Now, if thou seest hihtly tell him this Tell him that my father is dead, and my brother Bjorn, who rules in his place, is a hard edno choice, I have consented to it And say to Eric that I grieve h ain should never meet more, yet I shall always hold his memory dear'”