Bergthora said to Atli—­“Go thou up into Thorolfsfell and work there a week”.

So he went up thither, and was there on the sly, and burnt charcoal in the wood.

Hallgerda said to Brynjolf—­“I have been told Atli is not at home, and he must be winning work on Thorolfsfell”.

“What thinkest thou likeliest that he is working at?” says he.

“At something in the wood,” she says.

“What shall I do to him?” he asks.

“Thou shalt kill him,” says she.

He was rather slow in answering her, and Hallgerda said—­

“’Twould grow less in Thiostolf’s eyes to kill Atli if he were alive.”

“Thou shalt have no need to goad me on much more,” he says, and then he seized his weapons, and takes his horse and mounts, and rides to Thorolfsfell.  There he saw a great reek of coal smoke east of the homestead, so he rides thither, and gets off his horse and ties him up, but he goes where the smoke was thickest.  Then he sees where the charcoal pit is, and a man stands by it.  He saw that he had thrust his spear in the ground by him.  Brynjolf goes along with the smoke right up to him, but he was eager at his work, and saw him not.  Brynjolf gave him a stroke on the head with his axe, and he turned so quick round that Brynjolf loosed his hold of the axe, and Atli grasped the spear, and hurled it after him.  Then Brynjolf cast himself down on the ground, but the spear flew away over him.

“Lucky for thee that I was not ready for thee,” says Atli, “but now Hallgerda will be well pleased, for thou wilt tell her of my death; but it is a comfort to know that thou wilt have the same fate soon; but come now, take thy axe which has been here.”

He answered him never a word, nor did he take the axe before he was dead.  Then he rode up to the house on Thorolfsfell, and told of the slaying, and after that rode home and told Hallgerda.  She sent men to Bergthorsknoll, and let them tell Bergthora, that now Kol’s slaying was paid for.

After that Hallgerda sent a man to the Thing to tell Gunnar of Atli’s killing.

Gunnar stood up, and Kolskegg with him, and Kolskegg said—­

“Unthrifty will Hallgerda’s kinsmen be to thee.”

Then they go to see Njal, and Gunnar said—­

“I have to tell thee of Atli’s killing.”  He told him also who slew him, and went on, “and now I will bid thee atonement for the deed, and thou shall make the award thyself”.

Njal said—­“We two have always meant never to come to strife about anything; but still I cannot make him out a thrall”.

Gunnar said that was all right, and stretched out his hand.

Njal named his witnesses, and they made peace on those terms.

Skarphedinn said, “Hallgerda does not let our house-carles die of old age”.

Gunnar said—­“Thy mother will take care that blow goes for blow between the houses”.

“Ay, ay,” says Njal, “there will be enough of that work.”