let us
kill him!"

"Ay, it is Skallagrim," he answered, "and if there is killing to be
done, why here's that which shall do it," and he drew out his axe and
smiled grimly.

Then all held their peace, for they feared the axe of Skallagrim.

"Lady," he said, "I do not come for slaying or such child's play, I come
to speak a word in thine ear--but first I ask a cup of mead and a morsel
of food, for we have spent three days in the snows."

So they ate and drank. Then Gudruda bade the Baresark draw near and tell
her his tale.

"Lady," said he, "Eric, my lord, lies dying on Mosfell."

Gudruda turned white as the snow.

"Dying?--Eric lies dying?" she said. "Why, then, art thou here?"

"For this cause, lady: I think that thou canst save him, if he is not
already sped." And he told her all the tale.

Now Gudruda thought a while.

"This is a hard journey," she said, "and it does not become a maid to
visit outlaws in their caves. Yet I am come to this, that I will die
before I shrink from anything that may save the life of Eric. When must
we ride, Skallagrim?"

"This night," said the Baresark. "This night while the men sleep, for
now night and day are almost the same. The snow is deep and we have no
time to lose if we would find Brighteyes living."

"Then we will ride to-night," answered Gudruda.

Afterwards, when people slept, Gudruda the Fair summoned her women, and
bade them say to all who asked for her that she lay sick in bed. But she
called three trusty thralls, bidding them bring two pack-horses laden
with hay, food, drugs, candles made of sheep's fat, and other goods,
and ride with her. Then, all being ready, they rode away secretly
up Stonefell, Gudruda on her horse Blackmane, and the others on good
geldings that had been hay-fed in the yard, and by daylight they passed
up Horse-Head Heights. They slept two nights in the snow, and on
the second night almost perished there, for much soft snow fell. But
afterwards came frost and a bitter northerly wind and they passed on.
Gudruda was a strong woman and great of heart and will, and so it
came about that on the third day she reached Mosfell, weary but little
harmed, though the fingers of her left hand were frostbitten. They
climbed the mountain, and when they came to the dell where the horses
were kept, certain of Eric's men met them and their faces were sad.

"How goes it now with Brighteyes?" said Skallagrim, for Gudruda could
scarcely speak because of do