San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-05

uldu part, anu OulJ lOT
wife and her reputation, was content that
in such a belief Joksdal should remain. Eric
Skien, however, was wiser He had long
noted the change in his sweetheart, and the
blow did not fall so heavily upon him, there
fore, as his friends supposed He was good
hearted, easy going loutish fellow, not over
quick Of comprehension, but a popular man
among his comrades and one with kind
soul i'll him. That he would nurse his re-
venge until it grew into something strong
and terrible and could walk alone, was the
general opinion in JoksdaL But Skien
breathed no word of his future inteations to
anybody, and went on living and working
tamely enough, though with the most Of the
laughter and rough frolic blotted out OF his
life. 1t is improbable that he would ever
have seriously set about retaliation or gone
far out of his way to get it Dwellers in
northern lands, all things being equal, are
not so fruitful of violence and the knife as
hot blooded men of the south. Nor have
they quite such keenness and capability for
either suffering or Joy. Their sensibilities
are somewhat more blunt, and there is more
prose and less poetry in their lives, less sun
shine and more hard work. / speak, of
course, of the lowest social classes; SSiea
was a shepherd; Svantsen the keeper OF
small inn.
And nova year after the catastrophe
they meet, the one flushed and hot and
nearly spent with his hard running; the
other cold and white and with all his wits
about him. Skien, thinking to see friend,
looks up at the man in the sledge AS he
does so anxiety changes to incredulous and
savage joy; the howl of wolves falls I'M
L. l.; ha Dl,,tc hn,-l Of
something hidden in his belt and shows his
teeth. The other, with an iron hand upon
the reins, checks for an instant his flying
sledge and keeps pace with his old enemy.
One of the struggling horses, arrested in his
fight for life neighs and plunges to be free.
The bells clash and jangle; for moment the
hungry threats behind are silent; over all
the moon shines bright and cold, bringing
out every detail of the scene as clearly as
daylight could.
Rollo SvantSen speaks first:
''Ah friend Skien, thou wilt have to 90 at
greater pace than thy present jog if Joksdal
is to see thee again. Graabeen [''gray legs"l
travels world faster, and is now nearer to
thee than thou art to home Wilt deign to
accept a seatl II so, it is at thy service"
AT last we meet them" gasped the other.
81 had rather seen thee than the trueSt
friend and strongest horse in Norway. At
last thou art in my hand, Rollo Svantsen.
Nay, stay thine horses, or ! will do it for
thee"
'Fooll Thou do it, Couldst thou stop
me a year agoi Then think not to hold back
these mad brutes here by any act of thine"
For answer Skien leveled pistol at the
head Of the horse nearest him The barrel
flashed in the moonlight Like a knife, and
Svantsen, choking in his throat the cry of
horror that rose into it, pulled at the reins,
and nearly overturned the vehicle he drove
This is no time for jesting, manm he
cried Leap by me and do 1t quickly, or
we shall both be lost"
"And why not? Thou has left me nothing
to live for. Everything that was good to
me in the world has been taken by thee, and
now it is my turn, and | could STAY thee. hut
that had rather leave it to those behind"
While the horses were nearly dislocating
his shoulder joints, Svantsen made answer.
Think not fear death any more than
thee. If thou widest that but one of us shall
reach his home | care not plead not for
my safety, least of all at thy hands, but
others plead for it The past is past, the
wrongs have done to thee are past, and past
atoning. Stay me if thou wilt it is but jus
tics, but be generous in thine hour OF tri
umph. Save myself, Skien, l implore it,
and see that what is now in the sledge be
given to those | leave behind Declare,
when questioned, that fell from my place
and thou couldst not stay the horses to save
me-"
So he spoke, and a great wave of feeling
passed through the others mind Never had
his heavy brains been so stirred, never be
fore had the possibility Of noble and heroic
actions entered them. Like a dream picture.
as his enemy's words fell upon his ears, he
saw the girl at home nursing her baby, saw
the sledge dash through the village street.
saw the husband reel into the strong, out
stretched arms OF his friends and heard the
wifes cry of thankfulness to God That
was all, no vision of his own figure in the
story obtruded itself A flash of lightning
could not be quicker than the thought as it
filed his brain and transformed every ambi-
ton, passion, desire.
True" he said, Il have no quarrel with
those III thine home. Thou art husband
and father had forgotten. Get you
gone, Svansten, my eyes are opened now
and see far ahead. Fly, man, whilst there
is yet time, take these pistols with thee, too,
and remember in the days to come, there was
no evil between us at the end. Co. l say, the
horses are killing themselves"
He held up the weapons, and finding that
the driver was too occupied to take them
from him, placed both pistols at his feet in
the sledge, as SvanSten answered.:
"Sayest thou thiSf" he cried. by heaven,
Skien, such an enemy as thou makest it
worth n thOuSan nd friends Java thaa