“She must be sent to the grave, then,” said Asmund, and fell to thinking.  Presently he spoke again:  “Bid yon man fall back, I would speak with you twain,” and Skallagrim went grumbling.

“Hearken now, Eric and Gudruda:  only an hour ago hath Atli the Good asked Swanhild of me in marriage.  But now I met Swanhild here, and her mien was wild.  Still, I spoke of the matter to her, and she would have none of it.  Now, this is my counsel:  that choice be given to Swanhild, either that she go hence Atli’s wife, or take her trial in the Doom-ring.”

“That will be bad for the Earl then,” said Eric.  “Methinks he is too good a man to be played on thus.”

“Bairn first, then friend,” answered Asmund.

“Now I will tell thee something that, till this hour, I have hidden from all, for it is my shame.  This Swanhild is my daughter, and therefore I have loved her and put away her evil deeds, and she is half-sister to thee, Gudruda.  See, then, how sore is my straight, who must avenge daughter upon daughter.”

“Knows thy son Bjoern of this?” asked Eric.

“None knew it till this hour, except Groa and I.”

“Yet I have feared it long, father,” said Gudruda, “and therefore I have also borne with Swanhild, though she hates me much and has striven hard to draw my betrothed from me.  Now thou canst only take one counsel, and it is:  to give choice to Swanhild of these two things, though it is unworthy that Atli should be deceived, and at the best little good can come of it.”

“Yet it must be done, for honour is often slain of heavy need,” said Asmund.  “But we must first swear this Baresark thrall of thine, though little faith lives in Baresark’s breast.”

Now Eric called to Skallagrim and charged him strictly that he should tell nothing of Swanhild, and of the wolf that he saw by her, and of how Gudruda was found hanging over the gulf.

“Fear not,” growled the Baresark, “my tongue is now my master’s.  What is it to me if women do their wickedness one on another?  Let them work magic, hate and slay by stealth, so shall evil be lessened in the world.”

“Peace!” said Eric; “if anything of this passes thy lips thou art no longer a thrall of mine, and I give thee up to the men of thy quarter.”

“And I cleave that wolf’s head of thine down to thy hawk’s eyes; but, otherwise, I give thee peace, and will hold thee from harm, wood-dweller as thou art,” said Asmund.

The Baresark laughed:  “My hands will hold my head against ten such mannikins as thou art, Priest.  There was never but one man who might overcome me in fair fight and there he stands, and his bidding is my law.  So waste no words and make not niddering threats against greater folk,” and he slouched back to his horse.

“A mighty man and a rough,” said Asmund, looking after him; “I like his looks little.”

“Natheless a strong in battle,” quoth Eric; “had he not been at my back some six hours gone, by now the ravens had torn out these eyes of mine.  Therefore, for my sake, bear with him.”