begat a son. To that boy a name was given, and he was called Thorleik;
he was early a very fine lad, and a right nimble one. Halldor Olafson
lived at Herdholt, as has before been written, and he was in most
matters at the head of his brothers. [Sidenote: Thorgerd and the
shepherd lad] The spring that Kjartan was slain Thorgerd Egil's
daughter placed a lad, as kin to her, with Thorkell of Goat-Peaks, and
the lad herded sheep there through the summer. Like other people he
was much grieved over Kjartan's death. He could never speak of Kjartan
if Thorkell was near, for he always spoke ill of him, and said he had
been a "white" man and of no heart; he often mimicked how Kjartan had
taken his death-wound. The lad took this very ill, and went to
Herdholt and told Halldor and Thorgerd and begged them to take him in.
Thorgerd bade him remain in his service till the winter. The lad said
he had no strength to bear being there any longer. "And you would not
ask this of me if you knew what heart-burn I suffer from all this."
Then Thorgerd's heart turned at the tale of his grief, and she said
that as far as she was concerned, she would make a place for him
there. [Sidenote: The killing of Thorkell] Halldor said, "Give no heed
to this lad, he is not worth taking in earnest." Then Thorgerd
answered, "The lad is of little account," says she, "but Thorkell has
behaved evilly in every way in this matter, for he knew of the ambush
the men of Laugar laid for Kjartan, and would not warn him, but made
fun and sport of their dealings together, and has since said many
unfriendly things about the matter; but it seems a matter far beyond
you brothers ever to seek revenge where odds are against you, now that
you cannot pay out for their doings such scoundrels as Thorkell is."
Halldor answered little to that, but bade Thorgerd do what she liked
about the lad's service. A few days after Halldor rode from home, he
and sundry other men together. He went to Goat-Peaks, and surrounded
Thorkell's house. Thorkell was led out and slain, and he met his death