So Oswif stood up and said—­“This is not an atonement on equal terms when thy brother utters the award, but still thou (speaking to Hrut) hast behaved so well about it that I trust thee thoroughly to make it” Then he stood up and took Hauskuld’s hand, and came to an atonement in the matter, on the understanding that Hrut was to make up his mind and utter the award before Oswif went away.  After that, Hrut made his award, and said—­“For the slaying of Thorwald I award two hundred in silver”—­that was then thought a good price for a man—­“and thou shalt pay it down at once, brother, and pay it too with an open hand”.

Hauskuld did so, and then Hrut said to Oswif—­“I will give thee a good cloak which I brought with me from foreign lands”.

He thanked him for his gift, and went home well pleased at the way in which things had gone.

After that Hauskuld and Hrut came to Oswif to share the goods, and they and Oswif came to a good agreement about that too, and they went home with their share of the goods, and Oswif is now out of our story.  Hallgerda begged Hauskuld to let her come back home to him, and he gave her leave, and for a long time there was much talk about Thorwald’s slaying.  As for Hallgerda’a goods they went on growing till they were worth a great sum.

CHAPTER XIII.

GLUM’S WOOING.

Now three brothers are named in the story.  One was called Thorarin, the second Ragi, and the third Glum.  They were the sons of Olof the Halt, and were men of much worth and of great wealth in goods.  Thorarin’s surname was Ragi’s brother; he had the Speakership of the Law after Rafn Heing’s son.  He was a very wise man, and lived at Varmalek, and he and Glum kept house together.  Glum had been long abroad; he was a tall, strong, handsome man.  Ragi their brother was a great man-slayer.  Those brothers owned in the south Engey and Laugarness.  One day the brothers Thorarin and Glum were talking together, and Thorarin asked Glum whether he meant to go abroad, as was his wont.

He answered—­“I was rather thinking now of leaving off trading voyages”.

“What hast thou then in thy mind?  Wilt thou woo thee a wife?”

“That I will,” says he, “if I could only get myself well matched.”

Then Thorarin told off all the women who were unwedded in Borgarfirth, and asked him if he would have any of these—­“Say the word, and I will ride with thee!”

But Glum answered—­“I will have none of these”.

“Say then the name of her thou wishest to have,” says Thorarin.

Glum answered—­“If thou must know, her name is Hallgerda, and she is Hauskuld’s daughter away west in the dales”.

“Well,” says Thorarin, “’tis not with thee as the saw says, ’be warned by another’s woe’; for she was wedded to a man, and she plotted his death.”

Glum said—­“May be such ill-luck will not befall her a second time, and sure I am she will not plot my death.  But now, if thou wilt show me any honour, ride along with me to woo her.”