his croak," said Eric.

"He is on the wing, lord," answered Skallagrim.

Now Eric came to Coldback in the Marsh, and Saevuna his mother and Unna,
Thorod's daughter, the betrothed of Asmund, were glad to welcome him;
for the tidings of his mighty deeds and of the overthrow of Ospakar
and the slaying of Mord were noised far and wide. But at Skallagrim
Lambstail they looked askance. Still, when they heard of those things
that he had wrought on Horse-Head Heights, they welcomed him for his
deed's sake.

Eric sat two nights at Coldback, and on the second day Saevuna his
mother and Unna rode thence with their servants to the wedding-feast of
Swanhild the Fatherless. But Eric stopped at Coldback that night, saying
that he would be at Middalhof within two hours of sunrise, for he must
talk with a shepherd who came from the fells.

Saevuna and her company came to Middalhof and was asked, first by
Gudruda, then by Swanhild, why Brighteyes tarried. She answered that he
would be there early on the morrow. Next morning, before it was light,
Eric girded on Whitefire, took horse and rode from Coldback alone, for
he would not bring Skallagrim, fearing lest he should get drunk at the
feast and shed some man's blood.

It was Swanhild's wedding-day; but she greeted it with little
lightsomeness of heart, and her eyes knew no sleep that night, though
they were heavy with tears.

At the first light she rose, and, gliding from the house, walked through
the heavy dew down the path by which Eric must draw near, for she
desired to speak with him. Gudruda also rose a while after, though she
did not know this, and followed on the same path, for she would greet
her lover at his coming.

Now three furlongs or more from the stead stood a vetch stack, and
Swanhild waited on the further side of this stack. Presently she heard
a sound of singing come from behind the shoulder of the fell and of the
tramp of a horse's hoofs. Then she saw the golden wings of Eric's
helm all ablaze with the sunlight as he rode merrily along, and great
bitterness laid hold of her that Eric could be of such a joyous mood on
the day when she who loved him must be made the wife of another man.

Presently he was before her, and Swanhild stepped from the shadow of the
stack and laid her hand upon his horse's bridle.

"Eric," she said humbly and with bowed head, "Gudruda sleeps yet. Canst
thou, then, find time to hearken to my words?"

He frowned and said: "Methinks,