“What said I?” asked Skallagrim.  “We had fared better in London town.  Flying from the dove thou hast found the falcon.”

“I have found the falcon, comrade, and she has pecked out my eyes.  Now I would speak with Atli, and then I go hence.”

“Hence go the twain of us, lord.  The Earl will be here presently and rough words will fly in this rough weather.  Is Whitefire sharp, Brighteyes?”

“Whitefire was sharp enough to shear my hair, Skallagrim; but if Atli would strike let him lay on.  Whitefire will not be aloft for him.”

“That we shall see,” said Skallagrim.  “At least, if thou art harmed because of this loose quean, my axe will be aloft.”

“Keep thou thine axe in its place,” said Eric, and as he spoke Atli came, and with him many men.

Eric rose and turned to meet the Earl, looking on him with sad eyes.  For Atli, his face was as the face of a trapped wolf, for he was mad with rage at the shame that had been put upon him and the ill tale that Swanhild had told of Eric’s dealings with her.

“It seems that the Earl has heard of these tidings,” said Skallagrim.

“Then I shall be spared the telling of them,” answered Eric.

Now they stood face to face; Atli leaned upon his drawn sword, and his wrath was so fierce that for a while he could not speak.  At length he found words.

“See ye that man, comrades?” he said, pointing at Eric with the sword.  “He has been my guest these many months.  He has sat in my hall and eaten of my bread, and I have loved him as a son.  And wot ye how he has repaid me?  He has put me to the greatest shame, me and my wife the Lady Swanhild, whom I left in his guard—­to such shame, indeed, that I cannot speak it.”

“True words, Earl,” said Eric, while folk murmured and handled their swords.

“True, but not all the truth,” growled Skallagrim.  “Methinks the Earl has heard a garbled tale.”

“True words, thyself thou sayest it,” went on Atli “thou hound that I saved from the sea!  ‘Ran’s gift, Hela’s gift,’ so runs the saw, and now from Ran to Hela thou shalt go, thou mishandler of defenceless women!”

“Here is somewhat of which I know nothing,” said Eric.

“And here is something of which thou shalt know,” answered Atli, and he shook his sword before Eric’s eyes.  “Guard thyself!”

“Nay, Earl; thou art old, and I have done the wrong—­I may not fight with thee.”

“Art thou a coward also?” said the Earl.

“Some have deemed otherwise,” said Eric, “but it is true that heavy heart makes weak hand.  Nevertheless this is my rede.  With thee are ten men.  Stand thou aside and let them fall on me till I am slain.”

“The odds are too heavy even for thee,” said Skallagrim.  “Back to back, lord, as we have stood aforetime, and let us play this game together.”

“Not so,” cried Atli, “this shame is mine, and I have sworn to Swanhild that I will wipe it out in Eric’s blood.  Stand thou before me and draw!”