Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-17
and wept; then ceased weeping, and re-

and wept; then ceased weeping, and re-
turned TO her former mood.
..Ah. knew very well you didn't love
me-" she heard next, and became In a
moment the must hnTnb,v. and penitent q.
creatures.
Twice she tried to answer, but. instead.
she flung herself down upon the heather,
and hid her face in her hands.
Botolf came forward and stood over her.
She knew he was there, and she waited
for him to speak. and tried to prepare
herself for whatever he might say; but
not word came, and she grew Yet more
disturbed and felt obliged to look up. She
sprang to her feet instantly: Botolt 5
weather-beaten face seemed TO have be-
come sunken and hollow, his deeply-set
eyes staringly prominent, and his whole
figure monstrous and it stood over her
with some strange influence that suddenly
made her see him once more upon the ship
lust as she saw him on the night of the
wreck: but now his strength was bound
less. and it was all turned against her.
You have been untruthful with me,
Aasta.'
She turned away, but he followed her,
and continued
"And YOU have made me untruthlul.
too there hasn't been perfect truthfulness
between us single day ever since we
have been together"
He stood so near that she could feel his
hot breath he locked straight into her
eyes till she felt quite giddy; she knew
not what he might the next moment do or
say; and so she closed her eyes. She
stood as though she must either TALL or
rush away: the crises was coming.
In its perlude of deep silence, Botoli
himself became afraid. Still, once more
he began his former strain:
make everything clear; make an end
of all this miserable trickery and conceal
ment--do it here-now."
yes" she answered, but quite uncon-
sciously-" l say--do it here-now"
He gave loud cry, for she rushed past
him, flung herself over the steep. lie
caught glimpse of her golden hair, her
uplifted hands, and the kerchief, which
spread out, slipped off, and tloated slowly
down after her by itself. He heard no
shrek, and he heard no fall in the water
below; for it was very far down. Indeed
he was not listening for he had sunk to
the EARTH
Out from the sea she had come 10 him
that night at first; into the sea she had
now passed away again and with her the
story of her life. In the midnight dark
ness of that silent deep, lay all that was
dear to him: should he not follow? lie
bad come to that place with a firm deter
mination to make an end Of the thing that
tormented him; this was not the end; and
now it could never come; thetrouble was,
indeed. only now in reality beginning.
Aastas deed cried out to him that he had
made terrible mistake, and Killed her
Even if his misery should become ten
times greater, he must live to find out
how ali had happened. She, who was al
most the only one saved on that fearful
night, had been saved only to be killed by
him who had saved her. He, who had
gone voyaging and trafficking about as il
the whole world were nothing but sea and
mart, had all at once become the victim oil
love which had killed the woman OF his
choice, and must now kill him. Was he
bad man? He had never heard any one
say SO, neither had he ever felt it himself.
But what if, after all it Were SO? lie rose ;
not, however, to cast himself over the
steep, but 10 return to the valley: no man
kills himself Just when he has found q
great enigma which he wishes TO solve.
But the enigma of Aasta's life could
never be solved now. She had lived IL
America ever since she had been grown
up; and she was coming from there when
the ships ran into each other. In what
part of America should this quest begin
From what part of Norway she had at first
come, he did not positively know; and he
was uncertain even whether her family
name had not been changed since then.
And that foreign skipper Who could he
be? Did he know Aasta, or was it only
she who knew something Of him To
question thus was like questioning the
very sea; and to journey forth to inyestl-
gate was like plunging into its depths
CONTINUED TO-MORROW.