is is why I hold my hand,
Hearken, brother dear, to me.

"Our purses will be emptied," says Gunnar, "by the time that these are
atoned for who now lie here dead."

"Thou wilt never lack money," says Kolskegg; "but Thorgier will never
leave off before he compasses thy death."

Gunnar sung another song.

Lord of water-skates[26] that skim
Sea-king's fields, more good as he,
Shedding wounds' red stream, must stand
In my way ere I shall wince.
I, the golden armlets' warder,
Snakelike twined around my wrist,
Ne'er shall shun a foeman's faulchion
Flashing bright in din of fight.

"He, and a few more as good as he," says Gunnar, "must stand in my path
ere I am afraid of them."

After that they ride home and tell the tidings.

Hallgerda was well pleased to hear them, and praised the deed much.

Rannveig said, "May be the deed is good; but somehow," she says, "I feel
too downcast about it to think that good can come of it".

CHAPTER LXXII.

OF THE SUITS FOR MANSLAUGHTER AT THE THING.

These tidings were spread far and wide, and Thorgeir's death was a great
grief to many a man. Gizur the white and his men rode to the spot and
gave notice of the manslaughter, and called the neighbours on the
inquest to the Thing. Then they rode home west.

Njal and Gunnar met and talked about the battle. Then Njal said to
Gunnar--

"Now be ware of thyself! Now hast thou slain twice in the same stock;
and so now take heed to thy behaviour, and think that it is as much as
thy life is worth, if thou dost not hold to the settlement that is
made."

"Nor do I mean to break it in any way," says Gunnar, "but still I shall
need thy help at the Thing."

"I will hold to my faithfulness to thee," said Njal, "till my death
day."

Then Gunnar rides home. Now the Thing draws near; and each side gather a
great company; and it is a matter of much talk at the Thing how these
suits will end.

Those two, Gizur the white, and Geir the priest, talked with each other
as to who should give notice of the suit of manslaughter after Thorgeir,
and the end of it was that Gizur took the suit on his hand, and gave
notice of it at the Hill of Laws, and spoke in these words:--

"I gave notice of a suit for assault laid down by law against Gunnar
Hamond's son; for that he rushed with an onslaught laid down by law on
Thorgeir Otkell's son, and wounded him with a body wound, which proved a
death wound, so that Thorgeir got his de