The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-08-31
AXE would cross the hills this night with warn

turning 70 Alt, "verily, I grieve to make an "id
| friend prisoner, but you must abide here In
safe keeping until our men are well forward.
II care not If I stay her to night and forever"
replied the Northman. Eric now looked for the
| 6rst time upon the speaker, and confessed that
he had never beheld finer looking man. In the
primo of the beauty of Northern youth, ALI
bearing traces of higher mind than can often be
discerned in the cheerful, lusty faces of his
| countrymen.
docs the valley marksman speak thus y said
the host.
"Ay," answered the youth, "when you are
thrust forth from the Preside you can but seek
another roof If your own land casts you out,
you are fain to cling to the stranger-to the
enemy"
alas Emlen's father been rough?" inquired
Sweyne.
"Name him not !" replied the young peasant
angrily. "They have heaped refusal and insult
upon me; let them look tor their return Ay.
Skialm Harder may one day wish had welded
his daughter-my name shall yet DO ieartully
known throughout Norway Swede, myself will
guide your troop this night over the Tydel-
Trust me fully, and you shall be placed to-Inor-
row beyond those white peaks
"You will have q fearful passage first" said
an old peasant; "there is no moon, now. and 1t
will be pitch dark long before you cross the
Naeroe."
"The night is to us as MONDAY" cried young
soldier .'tor your crags, we fear them not, were
| they as high as the blue heavens. Our life has
been among rocks, and in our land we are called
'Sky.Leapers.'"
II will trust the young Norseman," continued
the chief-"wounded pride and sighted love may
we'll make man hate the land that has spurned
him, were it his own hundred times
As the day was fast wearing over. little time
was lost in preparation. Each man carried with
him fir skates to be used when, after climbing
the rough ascent, they wound along those mar
row and difficult paths which skirt the face of
the cliffs crossing the mountains. Their guide
told them, when it grew dark, by lighted torches
TO be procured and used as he should afterwards
direct them.
During their slippery and rugged journey, ALI
could not help admiriag the spirit, GOODNESS and
activity shown by the party in scaling the dam
gerous rocks; and they felt insensibly drawn
one to another by that natural, though unuttered
friendship which binds together the brave and
high.souled. Still, few words passed between
| them, though many OF the Swedes spoke Morse
| we'll, and Alt spoke Swedish as well az his own
tongue. Both sides were feelings which led them
to commune with their own thoughts in silence,
After some hours of hard and successful climb
ing they halted, at the close or the day, or the
snowy summit Of ridge that they had just as
cended, to tasten On their skates. They had now
to traverse the long, slippery defles SO peculiar
| to Norway, where the path runs upon narrow
lodges of rock, at an awful height, winding alb
! ruptly in and out along the face Of the hills
Here they formed in single fle and their guide
taking lead of the column, kindled by rapid fric-
ton, one Of the pine branches OF which each had,
| by his ORDERS gathered an abundance on their
way. He said in few brief and energetic
words, that "here they must tempt the fate of
all who would conquer Norway unles they choose
to return; and now were they really to win the
proud name of Sky-Leapers." He babe them
move along rapidly and steadily, following the
light of his torch. Every man was to bear bla-
zing pine kindled from his and thus each press
ing on the light before him the track would not
be lost in the turns and windings. He placed
the coolest and most active in The rear, that they
might pass lightly and skillfully over the snow,
roughened by the trsck of their leaders, and keep
the line of lights, which was their only hope OF
safety, compact and answered.
Whist change IRON the tailsone climbing
which had wearied the most enduring spirit
They few over the narrow slippery paths, now
in long, stsaight, arrow course of fires; now
lost and then emerging in the sharp turnings OF
the cli6s. The dangers Of the Naeroe, which
makes even the natives shudder ct the gid.
dy narrow path and awfnl depths, were half IN
seen in the darkness, anIaN unieared by these
keen. brscing night bred y, of the hills
At every step the vikings became more alb
rupt, and II seemed to his nearest follower, that
even the guide looked anxious and afraid when,
almost coming close to him, at turning, he saw
BY the joining light Of their torches, the counte-
nanos Of All turned back toward the long line of
tying stars, with o troubled and sorrowful look.
To encourage him he cried in bold aad cheerful
ger! The Sky.Leapers follow theew
"Onl" shouted back tho guide, with cry that
echoed through tho whole band, ana quickened
their lightning speed. Their torches flew along
in one unbroken straight stream fire till wild
death scream arose, marking the spot where light
after Light dropped in the dark silence. The
depth Vas % terrible that ill sound Of fall was
uhheard. But that CRY reached the last OF the
sinking Linz, and their hearts died within them.
There was no stopping their arrow.like flight
no turning aside without leaping into sheer ai-
All Stsvenger shuddered at the death leap Of
these bravo men over the edge Of the rock. His
soul had boon bound to them in their brief jour.
neyings together; and, had they not come as his
country's invaders he would have loved them as
brothers for their frank courage. But ALI was
! at heart true con of Norway. 1t is true he
hsd resolved in the desperation Of his sorrow to
leave his fatherland forever; STILL when he saw
this band coming to la. waste the valleys which
he knew TO be Unattended, his anger was in a
moment forgotten, and all his hot Morse blood
I was stirred within him. lie was deferred, al we
have seen, from crossing the hills to warn his
countrymen: and he knew when Jarles returned
| he would be able and willing to guide the Swedes
over the pass. He soon planned his daring
scheme "Ay," thought he, as the wavering
| train followed his leading torch, ~ told them
that here they should earn the proud name Of