The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-09-29

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 throats 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 jogi if Joks-
dal is to see thee again. Graaben* travels
world faster and is now nearer to thee
than thou art to home. Wilt deign to ac-
cept seat? If SO, it is at thy service"
SAT last we meet then, y gasped the other
81 had rather see thee than the truest
friend and strongest horse in Norway. At
last thou art in my hand, Rollo Svantsen.
Nay, stay thy horses or l will do it for
thee"
''Fooll Thou do it? Could thou stop
me year ago? Then think not to hold
back those mad brutes here by any act of
thine
For answer Skien levelled pistol at the
head of the horse nearest him. The bar
rel flashed into the moonlight ike knife,
and Ssantsen, 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, mani he
cried. "Leap by me, and do it quickly, or
we shall both be lost"
"And why notg Thou has left me moth
ing to live for. Everything that was good
to me in the world has been taken by thee;
now it is my turn, and | could slay thee,
but that | had rather leave to those be-
hind"
While the horses were nearly dislo-
eating his shoulderjoints Svantsen made
answer:
"Think not l fear death any more than
thee. IF thou willest that but one of us
shall reach his home | care not. l 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. Slay me if thou wilt, it
is but justice, but be generous in thy hour
of triumph Save thyself, Skien, i'm
plore 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 great wave of feeling
passed through the others mind. Never
had his heavy brains been so stirred, never
before had the possibility of noble aud he
roic actions entered them. Like a dream
picture, as his enemy's words fell upon his
ear, he saw the girl at home nursing her
baby, saw the sledge dash through the Will
age street, saw the husband reel into the
strong outstretohed arms of his friends,
and heard the wife's 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 filled his brain, and trans
formed every ambition, passion, desire.
"True,' he said, II have no quarrel with
those in thine home. Thou art husband
and father-I had forgotten. Get you
gone, Svaptsep; my eyes are opened now
aud / see far ahead. Fly, man, while
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. Go, 1 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 Svantsen answered
"Sayst thou this?" he cried. "By |
Heaven, Skien, such an enemy as thou
makest is worth thousand friends. Leave
thee, man? Never! Mount, l command
it; else 1 will shoot these frantic beasts
myself God willing, we shall yet sleep in
our homes tonight; if not, then together
here" Eric hesitated for a brief moment. |
The thought Of great sacrifice was strong
within him, but his old enemy would not I
be denied His will was as powerful as
the others, and most assuredly both men
must have perished had not Skien relented.
At last, therefore, yielding to Svantsen's
entreaty, he crawled exhausted upon the
hinder seat of the sledge, and, not moment
too soon, the men were whirled away
together.
(Read without haste, the above duo
logue, if timed, would be found to take
two and half minutes. In fact, however,
it barely occupied two.)
Five short minutes later the wolves
arrive upon the spot where the snow is
trampled and Skien's footmarks cease.
Now they are racing, for the quarry shows
up black and clear against the snow, little
more than mile ahead.
Let us once more hunt with the hunters
and watch with them as-their feet falling
like the pattering rustic of rain-they came
on, one hurtling against another. Their
mouths are open, the hair upon their backs
is beginning to stiffcn and stand on end,
their phosphorescent eyes are fixed upon
the flying sledge. A long stern chase it
has been, and seems likely to meet with
grand reward if all goes WELL So yard by
yard they get upon better terms with the
vehicle. True the black horizon gradually
changes into irregular outlines of a pine
forest true, also, beneath the trees CLEAN
sparks of red and yellow fire that suggest
human habitations, but Ioksdal is distant
a mile yet, whereas three hundred yards
alone separate wolves and men. Now a
long pull, strong pull, pull altogether,
and then-supper!
Like the hellows of forge sob the
horses aud need not the heavy whip,
though that now and again Kisses in the
air over their heads. Great jets of steam
burst from their gaping nostrils, and they
show the bloodshot whites of their eyes.
Since Skien got upon the sledge not another
word has been spoken. Syaptsen drives
with magnificent nerve aud judgment, keep
ing the horses steady, but getting every
inch out of them he can. If either comes
down 1t must mean certain death for ALL
skien sits crouched up at the back Of the
sledge with his face to the oncoming mul-
titude and pistol in each hand. Nearer
get the wolves and nearer. They are now
going about twenty yards in hundred
quicker than their prey. The big sledge
rug manufactured from skins of their
defunct kindred is thrown to them: but