Part 38 (1/2)

Swanhild e from the Orkneys, and was in Iceland thirty-five days before Eric and Skallagrim set foot there But she did not land by Westman Isles, for she had no wish to face Gudruda at that time, but by Reyjaness Now she rode thence with her coathered for the Thing At first people hung aloof fro her wealth and beauty; but Swanhild kneell hoin the hearts of men For now she told the same story of Eric that she had told to Atli, and there were none to say her nay So it cahteyes held to be shaainst Eric for the death of Atli at his hand, claireater outlawry should be passed against him, and that his lands at Coldback in the Marsh on Ran River should be given, half to her in atonement for the Earl's death, and half to theof the Thing Ospakar Blacktooth careat co he should ride to Middalhof, there to wed Gudruda the Fair Then Swanhild clad herself in beautiful attire, and, taking men with her, went to the booth of Ospakar

Blacktooth sat in his booth and by him sat Gizur his son the Lawman

When he saw a beauteous lady, very richly clad, enter the booth he did not knoho it ht be But Gizur knew her well, for he could never put Swanhild from his mind

”Lo! here comes Swanhild the Fatherless, Atli's ,” said Gizur, flushi+ng red with joy at the sight of her

Then Ospakar greeted her heartily, and made place for her by him at the top of the booth

”Ospakar Blacktooth,” she said, ”I am come to ask this of thee: that thou shalt befriend hteyes for the slaying of Earl Atli, my husband”

”Thou couldst have co,” said Ospakar, ”for, if thou hast soainst Eric, I have yet more”

”I would ask this, too, Ospakar: that thy son Gizur should take up my suit and plead it; for I knoell that he is the most skilful of all lawmen”

”I will do that,” said Gizur, his eyes yet fixed upon her face

”I looked for no less from thee,” said Swanhild, ”and be sure of this, that thou shalt not plead for nothing,” and she glanced at hiue, and afterwards went back to her booth, glad at heart For now she learned that Hall had not failed in his errand, seeing that Gudruda was about to wed Ospakar

Gizur gave warning of the blood-suit, and the end of it was that, though he had no notice and was not there to answer to the charge, against all right and custoiven, half to Swanhild and half to the men of his quarter For now all held that Swanhild's was a true tale, and Eric theto stretch the law against hi absent, he had few friends, and those men of small account; whereas Ospakar, who backed Swanhild's suit, was the most powerful of the northern chiefs, as Gizur was the most skilled lawman in Iceland

Moreover, Bjorn the Priest, Ash Swanhild's tale seee to him after that which he had heard from Hall of Lithdale, he loved Eric little He feared also that if Eric came a free man to Iceland before Gudruda ed to Ospakar, her love would conquer her anger, for he could see well that she still loved Brighteyes Therefore he strove with uilty, nor did he fail in this

So the end of it was that Eric Brighteyes was outlawed, his lands declared forfeit, and his head a wolf's head, to be taken by hiht, should he set foot in Iceland

Thereafter, the Althing being ended, Bjorn, Gizur, and Ospakar, with all their coe-feast But Swanhild and her folk went by sea in the long war-shi+p to Westmans For this was her plan: to seize on Coldback and to sit there for a while, till she saw if Eric ca of Ospakar and Gudruda, for she had been bidden to it by Bjorn, her half-brother

Now Ospakar ca

She stood in the great hall, pale and cold as April snow, and greeted him courteously But when he would have kissed her, she shrank froht than he had ever been, and she loathed hi in the hall, and at the feast Gudruda heard that Eric had been made outlaw Then she spoke:

”This is an ill deed, thus to judge an absent man”

”Say, Gudruda,” said Bjorn in her ear, ”hast thou not also judged Eric who is absent?”

She turned her head and spoke no more of Eric; but Bjorn's words fixed thee to her, for it seemed that Eric had been made outlaw at Swanhild's suit, and yet Eric anhild's love: for Swanhild's self had sent the lock of Brighteyes' hair by Hall, saying that he was her love and soon would wed her How, then, did Swanhild bring a suit against him who should be her husband? Moreover, she heard that Swanhild sailed down to Coldback, and was bidden to the e-feast, that should be on the third day from now Could it be, then, when all was said and done, that Eric was less faithless than she deemed? Gudruda's heart stood still and the blood rushed to her brohen she thought on it Also, even if it were so, it was now too late And surely it was not so, for had not Eric beenNay, she would s

On the morrow, as Gudruda sat in her charimur'sand Eric's mother, had come from Coldback to speak with her For, after the death of Asmund and of Unna, Saevuna had moved back to Coldback on the Marsh

”Nay, how can this be?” said Gudruda astonished, for she kneell that Saevuna was now both blind and bed-ridden

”She has been borne here in a chair,” said the woht to see”

At first Gudruda was minded to say her nay; but her heart softened, and she bade the set in a chair upon the shoulders of four ed her htless eyes But she was still tall and straight, and her face was stern to look on To Gudruda it seeh to Gudruda the Fair, Ashter?” asked Saevuna

”Methinks I hear her breathe”