The sun., 1891-04-12


Ospakar. but fall to It."
"0udruda shall never wed thee. while I livsi
said Bj6rn. Thou art lawless loon.
brawier. and an outlaw. Get thee gone Will
thy wolf-houndl"
"squsak not 20 loud. rat-sausak not s'
loud lsat the hounds fang worry thssls sal,
BkallaGr,m.
whether wed dudruda or whether wet
her not, 10 matter that shall be known In IL
season" said Eric. For thy words SAY this
that It is III to hurl names at such 40 I. Bj0rn
lest psrchanos I answer them with spea
thrusts. Thy answer. Ospakari What mex
to wsit' Thy answeri"
| Now Ospskar looked on Erie and grow afraid
weight Of Erio's arm.
Twin not nRht with thea oarls." he said
who hast naueht to lose"
Then thou art coward and niddsringl" said
Eric. "Ospakar Niddering nams thee hsrt
before all msni What Thou couldst plo,
against me. thou couldst waylay me, twenty Il
one and two ships TO one, but face to face with
me thou dost not dare to stand2 Comrades
look on your lordl Look on Ospakar the Md.
dsrinei"
Now the swarthy brow Of Blaektoeth ,ersv
red with rage. and his breath came IN great
gasps. "Ho. msn!" he cried. drive this knavl
awayl Strip his harness OF him and whiE
him away with roda"
Let but man sti. toward me and this
spear nss through thy heart. Niddering." cried
Eric. "Gudruda. what thinksst thou Of thy
lord 7"
~ know this." /" said audruda that will we'd
no man who 10 named Niddsrins' in the fsos
Of folk and lifts NO sword"
Gudruda spoke thus, because she va mad
with fear and anger. and she was fain that Eric
should stand face TO face with Ospakar Black.
tooth. for thereby. alone. she might perchanos
bs rid Of Ospaksr.
"sueh words come not veil nom gentle
hps." said Bjorn.
rs Il to bs borne. brother" answered Gud.
ruds, that the man would call me wife
should be named Ospakar the Nidderingi 7
When that shame 10 washed away. then only
can think on marriage. Md !srinx's bride
will never bel"
Thou nearest, Ospaksr Nidderinsf" ssid
Eric. Then he gave the spear in his hand to
sksllaRrim. and. eripping Whitears's hilt,
burst the peace strings, and tore Il from the
seabbard.
Now the great sword shons forth IKE light
ming leaping from cloud. and % 1t shons men
shouted, "Ospskarl Ospakar Niddsrinel
Come. win back Whitenre from Eric's hand. or
b forever shamedl"
This Blacktooth might endure NO more. He
snatched sword and shield, and. like bear
from . cave. like . wolf from his lair. rushed
roaring from his sest. On hs came. and the
ground shook beneath his mighty bulk.
AT last. Nidderingl" cried Eric. and sprane
70 meet him.
Back! all mon. baekl" shoutsd skallaerim.
now We shall Sc blows"
Even rs he spoke tho gress swords dasAsd
aloft and changed upon the iron shields. 30
heavy were the blows that nrs leapsd ont from
them. BscA rssled Ospakar beneath the
shock. and Eric was beatsn to his knsa Now
hs was mp. but. q hs rushed. Ospskar smots
again and swept away half Brightsyss's point
cd shield. 80 that It fell upon the ground. Eric
smote also. but Ospskar dropped his knee to
Garth and tho sword hissed over him. Black
tooth cut ct Eric's knees: high In the air leaped
BrIghtsyes. and took no harm.
Now some cried "Erici Erior' and some
cried "Ospaksri OspaksrI" for no one knew
how the tight would 60.
Gudruds sat Watching In tho high seat. and
as blows foil her color came and went
swalhild drew nigh. Watching also. and she
was fain in her flsrce heart to SEQ Eric brought
to shame and death. for. should he win. then
Gudruda would be rid Of Ospaksr. Now. BY
her side stood Gizur. Ospskar's son. and near
breath, for. should Eric conquer, all their plans
were brought to nothing.
Even - he sprang into the air Eric smots
down with all his strength. The blow fell ON
Ospakar's shield. 1t shore through the shield
and struck on the shoulder beneath. But
Blscktooth's byrnie was good. nor did the
sword cut 1t. Still the stroke was so heavy that
Ospakar staggered back four PAGES beneath It,
then fell upon the ground.
Now folk raised shout Of "Erici Ericl" for
It seemed that Ospaksr was Sped Brighteyes,
too. cried aloud. then rushed forward. Now
as he came. Swanhild whispered an eager word
in the ear OF Bjorn. Nigh to Bjorn's foot lay
that half of Eric's shield that had been shorn
away by the sword OF Ospaksr Gudruda.
watching. saw Bjorn push It with his shoe so
that It slid before the feet Of Briehteyes. His
right foot caught on It, he stumbled heavily
he fell. and as he foil stretched out
his sword hand to save himself so
that Whitslre few from his grasp. The
great blade struck its hilt against the ground.
then circled In tho air and fixed itself. int
downward, IN tho clay OF the flooring. The
hand Of Ospaksr rising from the ground smote
against the hllt Of Whitsflre. He saw 1t. with
. shout he cast his own sword away and
clssped It. Away circled the sword Of Ospsksr;
and Of that cast this strange thing Is told. false
or true. Far in the corner of tho hall lurke ID
Thorunna she who had betrayed SkallaRrim
when he was named Ounund. She had come
In the COMPANY Of Ospakar with heavy heart
to Middalhof; but when she saw Sksllaerim,
her husband-he whom she had betrayed. he
who had turned Baressrk because Of her evil
doings-shsme smots her. and she crept away
and hid herself behind tho hsnginRs OF the hall.
The great sword sped along. point nrst It
rushed as . spear through the air. 1t fell on
the hanRings, piercing them. piercing the
heart Of Thoruna. who covered behiAd them,
90 that with one CRY she sank dead to earth
slain Of her lovers hand.
Now. when men saw that Ospsksr once more
held Whitsfrs In his hand-Whitsdrs that
BriRhteyss had won from him-.hey oalled
aloud thatit was an omen. Back to Blssktooth
had the sword Of Blsoktooth come. and now
Eric would surely be slain Of I'll Eric sprsnR
from the ground. Hs heard the shouts and
saw Whitefre blazing In foeman's hand.
Now thou art weaponless. hyl Eric. dyr'
cried some
Gudrudas cheeks grew white with fear. and
for moment Eric's heart failed him.
Fly not!" rosred 6kallagrim. "Bjorn
tripped thee. Fly not! yet hast thou half q
sheld!"
Ospaksr rushed On. and whitsnrs hieksrsd
NAp vA At M