He had found the death which he deserved.
"Hakon's word," said Asbiorn quietly. "You mind what he said."
I remembered, and it came to me that Asbiorn had done right. I do
not know what else could have been done with such a man. And in
this matter neither I nor Gerda had any hand.
"The townsfolk judged him," said Asbiorn again, "and we did Hakon's
bidding. Else they had hewn him in pieces."
Suddenly the red wildfires sank, and it was very dark. In the
darkness there came from seaward a sound which swelled up, nearer
and nearer, as it were the cry of some mighty pack of hounds, and
with the wild baying, the yell of hunters and the clang of their
horns. It swept over us, and passed toward the mountains while we
stood motionless, listening.
"It is the wild hunt," said old Gorm, gripping my arm. "It is Odin
who chases the wraith of Arnkel hence."
But Phelim looked up to where against the dark cliff the cross
stood out bright above the hall.
"If it is Odin," he said, "he flies before the might of yonder
sign. This place is his no longer."
The others did not heed him, but I would that what he said was the
very truth. I had ever heard that one who died as did Arnkel was
the quarry of Odin's hunters for evermore, and the sounds scared
me.
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