Then Glum got angry, and cut at him with his hand-axe, but he threw his axe in the way, and the blow fell on the haft with a downward stroke and bit into it about the breadth of two fingers.  Thiostolf cut at him at once with his axe, and smote him on the shoulder, and the stroke hewed asunder the shoulderbone and collarbone, and the wound bled inwards.  Glum grasped at Thiostolf with his left hand so fast that he fell; but Glum could not hold him, for death came over him.  Then Thiostolf covered his body with stones, and took off his gold ring.  Then he went straight to Varmalek.  Hallgerda was sitting out of doors, and saw that his axe was bloody.  He said—­

“I know not what thou wilt think of it, but I tell thee Glum is slain.”

“That must be thy deed?” she says.

“So it is,” he says.

She laughed and said—­

“Thou dost not stand for nothing in this sport.”

“What thinkest thou is best to be done now?” he asked.

“Go to Hrut, my father’s brother,” she said, “and let him see about thee.”

“I do not know,” says Thiostolf, “whether this is good advice; but still I will take thy counsel in this matter.”

So he took his horse, and rode west to Hrutstede that night.  He binds his horse at the back of the house, and then goes round to the door, and gives a great knock.  After that he walks round the house, north about.  It happened that Hrut was awake.  He sprang up at once, and put on his jerkin and pulled on his shoes.  Then he took up his sword, and wrapped a cloak about his left arm, up as far as the elbow.  Men woke up just as he went out; there he saw a tall stout man at the back of the house, and knew it was Thiostolf.  Hrut asked him what news.

“I tell thee Glum is slain,” says Thiostolf.

“Who did the deed?” says Hrut.

“I slew him,” says Thiostolf.

“Why rodest thou hither?” says Hrut.

“Hallgerda sent me to thee,” says Thiostolf.

“Then she has no hand in this deed,” says Hrut, and drew his sword.  Thiostolf saw that, and would not be behind hand, so he cuts at Hrut at once.  Hrut got out of the way of the stroke by a quick turn, and at the same time struck the back of the axe so smartly with a side-long blow of his left hand, that it flew out of Thiostolf’s grasp.  Then Hrut made a blow with the sword in his right hand at Thiostolf’s leg, just above the knee, and cut it almost off so that it hung by a little piece, and sprang in upon him at the same time, and thrust him hard back.  After that he smote him on the head, and dealt him his death-blow.  Thiostolf fell down on his back at full length, and then out came Hrut’s men, and saw the tokens of the deed.  Hrut made them take Thiostolf away, and throw stones over his body, and then he went to find Hauskuld, and told him of Glum’s slaying, and also of Thiostolf’s.  He thought it harm that Glum was dead and gone, but thanked him for killing Thiostolf.  A little while