ke up afresh ill-will against me,
and trouble me, Atli. Why hast thou taken my workman? Wrongfully is
this done."

Atli answered, "It is not proven to me that he is thy workman, nor
will I withhold him from thee, if thou showest proofs thereof, yet am
I loth to drag him out of my house."

"Thou must have thy will now," said Thorbiorn; "but I claim the man,
and forbid him to work here; and I will come again another time, and I
know not if we shall then part better friends than now."

Atli said, "I shall abide at home, and take what may come to hand."

Then Thorbiorn rode home; but when the workmen come home in the
evening, Atli tells all the talk betwixt him and Thorbiorn, and bids
Ali go his way, and said he should not abide there longer.

Ali answered, "True is the old saw, <i>over-praised and first to
fail</i>. I deemed not that thou wouldst drive me away after I had
toiled here all the summer enough to break my heart, and I hoped that
thou wouldst stand up for me somehow; but this is the way of you,
though ye look as if good might be hoped from you. I shall be beaten
here before thine eyes if thou givest me not some defence or help."

Atli altered his mind at this talk of his, and had no heart now to
drive him away from him.

Now the time wore, till men began hay-harvest, and one day, somewhat
before midsummer, Thorbiorn Oxmain rode to Biarg, he was so attired
that he had a helm on his head, and was girt with a sword, and had a
spear in his hand. A barbed spear it was, and the barbs were broad.

It was wet abroad that day. Atli had sent his house-carles to the
mowing, but some of them were north at Horn a-fishing. Atli was at
home, and few other men.

Thorbiorn came there about high-noon; alone he was, and rode up to
the outer door; the door was locked, and no men were abroad. Thorbiorn
smote on the door, and then drew aback behind the houses, so that none
might see him from the door. The home-folk heard that the door was
knocked at, and a woman went out. Thorbiorn had an inkling of the
woman, and would not let himself be seen, for he had a mind to do
something else.

Now the woman went into the chamber, and Atli asked who was come
there. She said, "I have seen nought stirring abroad." And even as
they spake Thorbiorn let drive a great stroke on the door.

Then said Atli, "This one would see me, and he must have some errand
with me, whatever may be the gain thereof to me."

Then he went forth and out o