The sun., 1891-04-19
ERIC BRIGHTBYBS.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.
CHAPTER XVI.

CHAPTER XVI
HOW EMO vrNTuRKD FORTH 10 M1ppALHoY
AND WHAT Il. POUND.
Gizur went north to swinefsll. and with him
went swsnhild. For now that Ospakar was
dead at Erio's hand. Gizur ruled In his place at
Bwinsfsll. and Was the greatest lord Of all the
north. He loved swanhild. and desired to
make her his VITA: but she played with him.
talking dArkly Of what might be. swanhild
was little minded to be the wife OF any man.
save OF Eric only: to all others she was cold 40
the winter earth. Still. she fooled Gizur ss
she had fooled Atli the Good and he grew
blind with love Of her. For ever the beauty OF
6wanhild waxed - the moon waxss in the
sky. and her wicked eyes shone a. shine the
stars whom the moon has set
Now they came to 6winsfell. and there Gizur
buried Ospaka1 Blacktooth. his father. with
great state He set him IN chamber Of rock
and timbsrs on . mountain ton. whence he
might sos oil the lands that once were his and
built MP . mighty mound Of earth above him.
10 this day people tell that here on Yuls night
black Ospakar bursts forth. and golden Eric
Rides down the blast to meet him. Then come
the olang Of swords and groans and the sound
Of riven helms. till presently Brighteyss passes
southward on the wind. bearing In bis hand
the half Of clovsn shield.
30 GiEur bound the Hell-shoes on his father.
and swors that hs would neither rest nor stay
tll Eric BriRhtsyss was dead and dead was
Bkallagrim LambstaiL Then he gathered .
great force Of men and rode south to Cold-
back. to the slaying OF Eric and with him went
6wsnhid.
Gudruds sat alone IN the haunted hsll Of
Mlddslhof and broodsd on her love and ON
her fate. Eric, too. sat in Mosfel cave and
broodsd on his evil chance. His heart was
sick with sorrow. and there was little that he
might do save think upon the past. He would
not 20 forth to foray. after the fashion OF out
laws. and thers was no need Of this. For tho
talk Of his mighty deeds spread through the
land. % thss folk spoke Of little else. And the
men OF his quarter were 30 proud OF these
deeds Of his that, though some Of their kin
had fallen ct his hands in the great nght Of
Middalhof and some at the hands Of Skalls.
grim. ret they spoke OF him az men speak OF
god. Moreover they brought him offerings Of
food and clothing and slms as many as his
people might bear away. and laid them in q
booth that is on the plain near to tho foot OF
MosfelL which thenceiorth WAS named Eros
fell. Further. they bads his thralls tell him
that II be wished It they would hnd good
ship Of war to carry him away from Iceland
~. and man It with loyal men and true.
Eric thanked them through Jon. his thrall.
but made answer that he was minded to die
here In Iceland.
Now. whom Eric had sat two months and
moro In Mosfell cave. and autumn was come.
he learned that Gizur and Bwanhild had moved
down to Coldbsok. and with them great COM
pany OF men who wore sworn to slsy him, He
asked II Gudruds the Fair had also gathered
mon for his Staying. They told him nay: that
Gudruda yet sat with her thralls and women
folk at Middalhof. mourning for Bjorn. her
brother. From these tidings Eric took some
blood feud against him. For ever he waited,
thinking that. II indeed she yet loved. him.
Gudruds would send him word or token Of her
love. But no word came. For between them
ran the blood Of Bjorn. the Justly slain. On
tho morrow Skallagnm spoke to Eric.
"This is my counsel. lord" he said, that ws
ride forth BY night and fall on the folk OF GiEur
as Coldbaek. and burn the stead over them.
putting them to the sword. am weary Of sit
ting here like IN eagle In . CAGE"
"such 10 no counsel Of mine. Bkallssrim," !"
answered BriRhteyes. II am weary Of sitting
here. indeed. but I am yet moro weary Of bring
ing mon to their death. I will shed no more
blood. unless to keep mine owA head. When
the folk of Gizur come to seek me on Mosfell
they ehsll ind me here: but 60 not to them"
"Thy heart Is out Of thee. lord" said skalla-
grim: thou vast not wont to speak thus"
"Ay. skallagrim." said Erio the heart 10
out Of me. Yet ride from Mosfell to-day"
Where to. lord2"
ITO Middalhoi to have speech with Gudruda
tho Fair"
Like enough. then. thou wilt bs silent thsre.
After"
1T well may No." said Eric. "Yet I will
forth. I may endure this doubt no longer"
II shall como with thee" said SkAllagrim.
"As thou wilt" answered Eric.
30 ct midday Eric And Skallagrim rode away
from Mosfell In Q storm Of rain. The rain was
20 heavy that those OF Gisur's folk who watched
the mountain did not see them. All that day
they rode and all the night. till at morning
they came to Middslhof. Eric bade Skallagrlm
stay By the horses and lot them feed. while he
went on foot to SEQ II By chance he might get
speech with GudrudA. This the Baresark did.
though hs liked not the task. fearing lost Eric
should bs done to death and hs not there to die
with him.
Now Eric drew to " thin two bowshots OF
the house. then sat down in dell BY the river.
from the edge OF which no could SOC those who
passed In and out Presently his heart gave
. great leap. for thore came out from the
woman's door lady tall and beautiful to SOC.
and with golden hair that flowed about hor
breast. 1t was Gudruda. and no saw that In
her hand she bore q napkin. Thon he knew
that according 10 her custom on the warm
mornings, she came alone to Daths In the
river. as she had always done from child
She was wont to baths here In this dell: for
at the bottom Of tha dell WAS q spot where
reeds and bushes grew thick. and the wster
lay In basin OF rock. and was clear and still
- ioe. For at this spot . hot spring ran into
the river.
Eric went down tho dell. hid himself close In
the bushes and waited. for he feared to speak
with Gudruds In tho open. while passed {:
presently the shadow Of tho lady orept
over the edge OF tho dell then she came her
SELF came In that beauty which since her day
has not been known In Iceland. Her face was
sad and sweet to soc. her dark and lovely eyes
were sad. On she came. till she stood within a
spears length OF whore Eric lay. crouehed in
the bush. looking at her through tho hedge OF
reeds. Hero Q fiat rock ovsrhung the water.
and she sat herself on this rock. and. shaking