for you to bide here just now."

"Why not? Let our friend tell me of Father also," she said
wilfully.

"Because I am going to do justice on Lodbrok's slayer," said
Ingvar, in a great voice, swinging an axe again.

Then the maiden turned pale, and wrung her hands, looking at
Ingvar, who would not meet her eyes; and then she went and laid her
hands on his mighty arm, crying:

"Not that, my brother; not that!"

"Why not?" he asked; but he did not shake off her little hands.

"Because Father would not have men so treated, however ill they had
done."

"Aye, brother; the girl is right," said Hubba. "Let him die; for
you gave him to Wulfric, and that is his word."

"Well then," said Ingvar, setting back the axe at last, "I will not
carve him into the eagle I meant to make of him. But slay him I
must and will, if the life is yet in him."

"Let Odin have him," said Hubba; and I knew that he meant that the
man should be hanged, for so, as Halfden's vikings told me, should
he be Odin's thrall, unhonoured.