The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-11-12
A LIFE'S ENIGMA.
ny B!oRNsryERNE BJoRNsoS.
A Norwegian sketch.

But it goes so deep down, makes me
quite gidJy ; and the sun shines so daz-
zling on the water; let's 60 little
farther"
"No--not any farther"
"Just back, then, as far as that green
enclosure---it was so pleasant there"
"No-I say-nOt there, either" and
he flung himself down, as if he either
could not, or would not, go farther.
She remained standing, with her eyes
intently fixed upon him.
"Aasta," thenhe said, "now you must
explain to me why it was you were so
much afraid of that foreign skipper who
came in just in the dusk of the evening""
"Didn't / think that was it'll" she
whispered, and seemed to wish to avoid
the matter.
Yes, you must tell me before you go,
else | shall never come again."
"Botolf!" she exclaimed; and she
turned, but still remained standing.
cts true" he continued, 81 promised
you wouldn't ask any questions, and
I'll still keep my word if you like; but
then things must come to an end between
u.s."
She burst into tears, and came over to
him, with the sun shining full upon her
slender little figure, small hands, and soft
golden hair, wherefrom the handkerchief
had fallen.
He sprang up.
"Yes!" he exclaimed, "you know
very well when you come looking
like that at me always give in to you.
But know, too, that the longer this
thing goes on the worse it gets. Can't
you understand that, though may pro-
mise you hundred time not to wish to
know about your bygone life, / never
have any peace? lean bear it no more"
His face, too, did indeed bear look of
long continued suffering.
Eyes, Botolf, you did indeed promise
me to let that thing rest-that which
can never, never tell you about. You
promised me solemnly you said you
didn't care about it, If you could but
have me. Botolf!" she exclaimed again,
sinking to her knees before him upon the
heather; and she wept as though her very
life were i'm peril, and so looked at him
through her fast-falling tears that she
seemed at once the lOvliest and most
all his days.
but then directly sitting down again, eff
you did but love me well enough to have
confidence in me, how happy we two
might bel"
"If you, rather, could but have little
confidence in mel" she implored, COM
ing nearer him, still upon her knees, and
looking yearningly into his face. Glove
you! Why, that very night when your
ship had run into ours, when / came up
on the deck and you stood there in COM
mand, thought never had seen any
body 80 brave and manly; and / loved
you from that moment. And then when
you carried me over into the boat when
the ships were sinking, once more felt,
what thought never should feel again,
a wish to live" She wept in silence,
with her hands clasped together, resting
upon his knee. Botolf!" then she ex-
claimed, abe good and noble; be as you
were when you first took me Botolf! !"
"Why do you urge me so?" he re-
piled, almost harshly. "YOu know very
well it can't be. One must have wO-
mans whole soul though for little
while at first, perhaps, one is constant
without"
She drew back, and said hopelessly:
All, well, then, my life can never
come right again! o God!" and once
more she began to weep.
"Trust me with the whole of your life
and not merely part of it, and it will
all come right so far as / am concerned" !"
He spoke cheerfully, as though to en-
courage her.
She did not answer but he saw she was
struggling with herself
"Master yourself" he urged "run
the risk of doing as l wish. Things
can't be worse than they are now, at any
rate"
"You'll drive me to the very worst" !"
she said piteously.
He misunderstood her, and con-
tinued
"Even il you have TO confess the great
est crime to me I'll try to bear up; but
this can't bear"
"No; and neither can IP' she ex-
claimed and she rose.
"PIl help you," he said, rising also I;
"day by day I'll help you, when only
know what this thing is. But I'm quite
too proud to be with woman / don't
fully know about; and who, perhaps, be-
longs to somebody else"
A bright flush came over her face.
For shame Ifyou talk of pride, I'm
good deal prouder than you are, and
won't have you say such things. So,
stoPi"
"If you're so very proud, then, why
do you leave room for my suspicionsT
"God help mel can bear this no
longerl"
Ono, nor / either; I've made vow IL
shall come 10 an end this day."
How cruel il is," she walled out, ito
go on worrying and tormenting woman
who has trusted herself no fully to you,
and has begged and prayed Of you as /
have been doing" She was near begin
ming TO weep, but with sudden change
of feeling abe exclaimed % Yoa I 400 hos,