The sun., 1891-04-05

!
marriage. and art about to givs shysslf to
ospakar Blscktooth. hear also that thou
hast done this deed because . certain man.
Hall OF Llthdale-whom from his youth up I
have known for liar and knave. and whom
thou thysolf didst mistrust In years zone by
has come hithsr to Iceland from Orknsys
bearing . tale oflEric's dealings with thy half.
sister Swanhild. This hear. further: That
swanhild. Atli's widow. hath come out 10 Ioe-
land and laid suit against Eric for the slaying
Of Atli the Earl. her husband and that Eric has
been outlawed and his lands at Coldback are
forfeit. - Tell nae now. Gudruda, Asmund's
daughter. II these tales be trusf"
The tales are true. mother" said 0udrudA
Then hearken 70 me. girl. Eric spran9
from my womb. who Of all living men Il the
best and nrst, as hs Is the bravest and most
StronR. have reared this e rio from Q babe,
and know his heart we'll Now I tell thee
this. that whatever Eric has done or left un.
done. nauRht OF dishonor 10 on his handa
Nayhap Bwanhild hath deceived him-thou art
. woman. and thou knowest well the arts which
women have. and the strength that nature
gives them. We'll thou 'knowest, also. Of what
breed this Bwsnhild came; and psrchancs
thou canst remember how shs dealt with thee
and with what mind she looked on Eric Per-
chance thou canst remember how she plotted
against thee,snd Eric-ay. how she thrust thee
from Goldfoss brink. Say, then. wilt thou take
her word1 Wilt thou take the word Of this
wltoh-dauRhter Of . vitch2 Wilt thou not
think on Groa, her mother. and Qroas deal.
ings with thy father. and with Unna. my kins-
woman2 As the mother is, 80 shall the daush.
ter b, wilt thou cast Eric aside. and that
unhsard7"
There is no more room for doubt mother
ssid Gudruda IT have proof Of this, that
Eric has forsaksn me-"
80 thou thinkest. child but tell thee this,
thou art wrongi Eric loves thee now % ho
loved thee and will love thee always"
would that could believe I'll" said 0udru-
dA II could believe that Eric sttll loved
me-ay. even though he had boon faithless to
mel would die ere wed Ospaksrr"
"Thou art foolish. audruda. and thou shalt
rue thy folly bitterly. I am old, and death
draws near to ms-far from mo now are hates
and loves and fears: but know this: that
woman 10 mad who, loving man. weds whore
she loves not Shame shall b her portion and
bitterness her broad. Unhappy shall she 70.
and whom she comes to die. but - Q barren
wtlderness-but as the winter snow shall bs
the record Of her days"
Now Gudruda wept aloud. "What u done 10
DONE" she cried: the BRIDEGROOM sits within
the hall-the bride awaits him In the bowen
BE- saved from Ospakar."
what IL done 10 done. yet Il can bs brought
to nothing: but soon :thatj shall be done
which may never bs undonsi 0udruds. fare
thee we'll Never shall listen to thy voice
again. I hold thee shameless, thou unfaithful
woman. who In thy foolish jealousy art ready
to sell thyseH to the arms Of one thou hatest
10 carries: como hither. Bear me hence l"
Now the men came In and took up sssvuna's
chair. Gudruda watched them bear the azsd
woman forth. Then suddenly she sprang from
her seat and ran After her into the hall. weep
inG bitterly.
NoWss Hasvu,A Driss mother, was carried
out she was met By Ospskar and Bjorn.
"Btsy." ssid BJ1ra. r. What does ron saz.
line hsfsf-and Why wssps oudruda. my
sister :"
Tho men halted VINO calls me s';earlins',.
said SaevunA 10 the voice hear the voice
Of Born. Asmund's son ?"
1T Is my voice. truly" said Bjorn. and
would know this-and this would Ospakar,
who stands ct my side. know also-why thou
oomsst here. earlinsl and why 0udruda
weeps7"
"dudruds wssps because she has sood cause
to weep. Biorn. She wssps bsauss she has b.
trsyed her love. Eric Brighteyes. my son. and
10 about to b aold In marriaee-to be sold to
thee. Ospakar Blsoktooth. like hsifer at .
fairing."
Then Bjorn grew:mad and cursed her, nor
did Ospakar spare to add to his Ill words But
the old dame sat In her chair. listening SILENT
~ till all their curses were spent.
"Ye are evil. the twain Of you." she said.
"and 70 have told evil Of Eric my son: and
70 have taken his bride for lust and greed,
playing on the jealous folly OF maid like
hsrpers on harp. Now tell you this. Bjorr
and Ospakarl Ny blind eyes are opened and
I see-I see this hall of. Middslhof.ssnd lol IL
Is but gore Of bloodl Blood hows upon the
board-blood streams along tho floor. and 70
70 twsini-lis dead thsrson. and about your
shapes are shrouds, and on your feet are He'll
shoen! Eric comes and Whitenrs is aloft. and
no moro shall - stand before him whom 70
have slxndered than stands the birch before
the lightning strokei Eric comesl I 500 his
blazing eyes-I SOC his golden helm flash in tho
doorplHcel Red was that marriage feast whore
at sat Unna, my klnswomsn. and Asmund. thy
iather-reddsr shall bs the Toast whore sit
Gudruda, thy sister. and Ospskarl Tho wolf
howls at thy door. Bjornl the grave-worm
opes his mouth trolls run to and fro upon thy
threshold: and the ghosts OF mon speed He'll
wardl III were the deeds OF Groa-worss
shall b. the deeds Of Groa's daughtsri Red 10
thy hall with blood. Bjornl-for whitsnrs- is
aloft and Eric oomss!-I toll thee Eric oomes"
And with ono great CRY she fell back-dssd.
Now they stood amazed aud trembling In
their fear.
"saevuns hath spoken strange words" said
Bjorn.
"shsn ws bs frightened Of Q dead hag ?
auoth Ospaksr. drawing bis brssth again.
Fellows. boar this oarrion forth. or We ding It
to tho dogs"
Then tho men tied the body Of sasvunA.
Thorgrimur's widow. Erlo's mother. fast in the
chair and bore 1t thenoe. But whom at Length
they came to Coldbsck. they found this. that
swanhild was there with all her following. and
had driven Erio's Rrieve and his folk to the
fells. But one old csrline. who had been nurse
to Eric was left there. and she sat wailing In
IN clubhouse. being too weak to move.
Then tho mon set down the CORPSE Of sss-
YUMA In the clubhouse. and. having void sll
their tale to the carline. they ned also.
That night passed, and passed the morrow
but on the next day at dawn Eric Brighteyss
and Skallagrim Lambstai landed near West
man Isles. They had made . bad passage
from Farey Isles, having been beat about BY
contrary Winds but at length they came safe