Part 40 (1/2)

As it chanced, before another hour was sped, Jon, Eric's thrall, who had stayed at ho Coldback empty, crept down from the fells and looked in The carline saw his

Then he went thence to find the other reat gladness cahteyes still lived, and was in Iceland Then they gathered food and gear, and rode away to the foot of Mosfell that is now called Ericsfell

Ospakar sat in the hall at Middalhof, near to the high seat He was fully armed, and a black helh he said nothing of it, not a little did he fear that Saevuna spoke sooth--that her words would come true, and, before this day was done, he and Eric should once more stand face to face At his side sat Gudruda the Fair, robed in white, a worked head-dress on her head, golden clasps upon her breast and golden rings about her arms Never had she been more beautiful to see; but her face hiter than her robes

She looked with loathing on Blacktooth at her side, rough like a bear, and hideous as a troll But he looked on her with longing, and laughed froht that at last he had got her for his own

”Ah, if Eric would but coht Gudruda; but no Eric caathered fast, and presently Swanhild swept in with all her company, wrapped about in her purple cloak She cah seat where Gudruda sat, and bent the knee before her, looking on her with lovely , Gudruda, my sister!” she said ”When last we met I sat, Atli's bride, where to-day thou sittest the bride of Ospakar Then Eric Brighteyes held thy hand, and little thou didst think of wedding Ospakar Now Eric is afar--so strangely do things cohteyes' foe, holds that fair hand of thine”

Gudruda looked on her and turned whiter yet in her pain, but she answered never a word

”What! no word for h h iven thee to the arreat a service!--fie on thee, Gudruda! fie!”

Then Gudruda spoke: ”Strange tales are told of thee and Eric, Groa's daughter! I have done with Eric, but I have done with thee also Thou hast thrust thyself here against my will and, if I may, I would see thy face no more”

”Wouldst thou see Eric's face, Gudruda?--say, wouldst see Eric's face? I tell thee it is fair!”

But Gudruda answered nothing, and Swanhild fell back, laughing

Now the feast began, and rew heavier, for in it echoed those words that Saevuna had spoken Her eyes were diht but the face of Eric as it had looked when he came back to her that day on the brink of Goldfoss Falls and she had thought him dead Oh! what if he still loved her and were yet true at heart? Swanhild mocked her!--what if this was a plot of Swanhild's? Had not Swanhild plotted aforeti or a witch from witch-work? Nay, she had seen Eric's hair--that he had sworn none save she should touch! Perchance he had been drugged, and the hair shorn froht?--beside her sat Ospakar, in one short hour she would be his Ah! that she could see him dead--the troll who had trafficked her to shame, the foe she had summoned in her wrath and jealousy! She had done ill--she had fallen into Swanhild's snare, and noanhild came to mock her!

The feast went on--cup followed cup Now they poured the bride-cup!

Before her heart beat two hundred times she would be the wife of Ospakar!

Blacktooth took the cup--pledged her in it, and drank deep Then he turned and strove to kiss her But Gudruda shrank from him with horror in her eyes, and all men wondered Still she must drink the bridal cup

She took it Dimly she saw the upturned faces, faintly she heard the ht above the the cup in her hand, Gudruda bent forward, staring down the skali Then she cried aloud, pointing to the door, and the cup fell clattering froround

Men turned and looked They saw this: there on the threshold stood a old the rays of light flashed through the dusky hall Theyellow hair bound in about his girdle, and in his left hand he held a pointed shi+eld, in his right a spear, and at his thigh there hung a hty sword Nor was he alone, for by his side, a broad axe on his shoulder and shi+eld in hand, stood another , with hawk's eyes, eagle beak, and black hair streaked with grey

For a moment there was silence Then a voice spoke:

”Lo! here be the Gods Baldur and Thor!--coe-feast!”

Then the olden hair cried aloud in a voice that hteyes and Skallagrirace the feast, indeed!”

”I could have looked for no worse guests,” said Bjorn, beneath his breath, and rose to bid old-helth of that great hall Side by side they stalked, with faces fierce and cold; nor stayed they till they stood before the high seat Eric looked up and round, and the light of his eyes was as the light of a sword Men reatness and his wonderful beauty, and to Gudruda he seemed like a God

”Here I see faces that are known to hteyes!” shouted the Middalhof folk and the company of Swanhild; but the carles of Ospakar laid hand on sword--they too knew Eric For still all men loved Eric, and the people of his quarter were proud of the deeds he had done oversea