Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-20

pun nill uONu.
Then comes-think Of 1.-THE sound Of
sledge bells in his ears, the one earthly mel
ody he knows in his present sore strait can
mean succor and salvation. He heeds it not
at first. The Norwegians are supeIstitious
folk, and our poor wretch thinks that the
night demons are abroad, dancing in the
drifting snow wreaths, laughing at his agony
and tuning the distant bowling into the sound
of bells
Sledge bells do not always make music.
There is nothing to suggest pleasure and
plumes and nodding of proud equine heads
in the harsh jingle that now rushes down
upon the traveller. Svantsen's horses have
long since caught the distant chorus and
their ears are beginning to lie back and their
necks to stretch out. Jangle, jangle, jangle,
thud, thud, thud, go hoofs and bells. A hot
steam streams away from the animals and
the bright red ray of little lamp in front
OF the sledge casts glow upon their sweat
ing TANKS The driver is standing up now
and unwinds tho lash of his long whip. His
hat is off and he looks with frown behind
him To US, horses and man and vehicle
seem but the incarnation of flying terror;
to him on foot, a chariot sent straight from
Goi.
And thus they meet these men than whom
all Norway could not show two enemies more
bitter. They are dwellers in the little vii
lage Of Joksdal, in Finmark, the most north
ern division Of Tromso, or Northern Nor
way. There had their fathers lived before
them, and there had Svantsen, rich, proud
and the autocrat Of his birthplace, cruelty
wronged Eric Skicn, young herdsman and
poor one.
An old, stale story it was of two men low
ing the same woman. Young Eric had been
everything to her until the other came creep
ing into her heart, ousting the old love and
replacing 1t with one ten times as powerful
She dare not to tell her betrothed, and upon
the very eve of their marriage Svantsen had
stolen the girl away with her own consent,
married her in distant hamlet, and then,
returning, braved the black storm of rage
that swept over him. All believed this step
to be one of most lawless abduction upon the
mans part, and he, only thinking for his
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 50 heavily upon him, there
fore, as his friends supposed. He was good
hearted, easy going, loutish fellow, not over
quick Of comprehension, but q popular man
among his comrades and one with kind
soul in him. That be would nurse his re-
venge Until il grew into something strong
and terrible and could walk alone was the
| general opinion in Jolsdal But Skien
breathed no word of lis future intentions to
| anybody, and went on living and working
tamely enough, though with the most of the
! laughter and rough froiic 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
porthe-l lands, all things being equal, are
| not so fruitful of violence and the knife as
hot blooded men Of the south Nor have
they quito such keenneSs and capablity 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. l speak, of
course, OF the lowest social classes; Skien
was shepherd; Svantsen the keeper of a
| small inn.
| And nova year after the catastrophe
/ they meet, the one flushed and hot and
nearly S ent with his hard running; the
other cold and white and with all his wits
/ about him. Shen, thinking to See friend,
| looks up at the man in the sledge. As he
/ does 50 anxiety changes to incredulous and
savage JOY; the howl of wolves falls un-
/ needed upon his ear; he clutches hard at
/ something hidden in his belt and shows his
teeth. he 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 a 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 go at
greater pace than thy present jog if Joksdal
Is to see thee again, Graabeen [''gray legs'l
travels q world faster, and is now nearer to
thee than thou art to home. Wilt deign &c
accept seatl Ii so, it is at thy service"
SAT last we meet them" gasped the other
Il had rather seen thee than tee truest
friend and strongest horse in Norway Al
last thou art In my hand, Rollo Svantsen.
Nay, stay thine horses, or l will do it fol-
theen
''Fooll Thou do itl Couldst thou stor
me year agol Then think not to hold bach
these mad brutes here by any act of thine"
For answer Skien leveled pistol at the
head Of the horse nearest him. The barre
flashed in the moonlight like knife, and
Syantsen, choking in his throat the cry Of
horror that rose into it, pulled at the reins
and nearly ov rtrrrned the vehicle he drove
"This is no time for jesting, mani" 1t
cried. Leap by me and do 1t quickly, Of
We shall both be lost"
sand why notl Thou has left me nothing
to live for. Everything that was good t.
me in the world has been taken by thee, am
now it is my turn, and could slay thee, bu
that hal rather leave it to those behind"
While the horses were nearly dislocatint
his shoulder joints, Svantsen made answer.
think not fear death any mora thai
thee. II thou widest that but one of US shall
reach his home I care not plead not fo
my safety least of all at thy hands, bu
others plead for it, The past is past, tn
wrongs have done to thee are past, and pas
atoning. Stay me il thou wilt, it is but jus
tice, but be generous in thine hour Of tri
umph. Save thyself. Skien, | implore it
and see that what is now in the sledge b
given to those | leave behind Declare
when questioned, that l fell from my plac
and thou couldst not stay the horses to saw
me-
So he spoke, and great wave of feelinl
passed through the others mind Never hal
his heavy brains been so stirred, never be
fore had the possibility of noble and heroi
} actions entered them. Like dream picture
as his enemy's words fell upon his ears, b
saw the girl at home nursing her baby, say
the sledge dash through the village street
saw the husband reel into the strong, GU,
stretched arms of his friends and heard th
wife's cry of thankfulness to God. Tha
was all; no vision Of his own figure in th
story obtruded itself. A fash of lightnin
could not be quicker than the thought as
hlled his brain and transformed every amb
ton, passion, desire.
True he said, 81 have no quarrel wit
those in thine home. Thou art husban
and a father-I had forgotten. Get 20
| gone, Svansten; my eyes are opened nov
and see far ahead. Fly, man, whilst ther
isyet time; take tnese pistols with thee, too
, and remember in the days to come, there wa
no evil between US at the end. Go, l say, th
horses are killing themselves"
; He held up the weapons, and finding tina
the driver was too occupied to take ther
from him, placed both pistols at his feet i
the sledge, as Svansten answered:
} ''Sayest thou thisf ne cried by HEAVIER
!; Skien, such an enemy as thou makest
) worth a thousand friends Leave thee, mar
J Never! Aount, | command it; else wi
shoot these frantic beasts myself. God vii
} ing, we shall yet sleep in our home tonight
if not, then together here Eric hesitate
for brief moment The thought OF gres
sacrifice was strong within him, but his Of