The sun., 1891-02-08

"Go r. said autruds, II viii b there pres
entity"
30 hs kissed hsf and went and swanhild saw
the kiss and saw him 70
"Wsll, iord,s said sxailagrim. hast thou
had thy all Of kissiner'
mot altogether" answered Rrio.
They rode while In silence
II thought the maid seemed very fairi" said
sksllaerim.
"Thsre are women LEES favored. skslla-
grim"
"Rieh bal. for mighty nshi" said skalla9rim.
"This I tell thee: that strive 40 thou msyest
sxsinst thy fate. that maid will be thy bans
and mine also.'
"Thiuss iorsaoomedw will happen" said Eric,
"but II thou fsarsst . maid. the ouro 10 easy:
depart from my company"
who was tho other ~ asked the Baresark--
''she who crsps and pesred. listened. then srspt
back again. hid her faos IN her hands, and
talked with grey wolf that came to her like 4
dog ?"
That must have been Swanhild." said Eric.
"but SOW her not Ever does she hide like .
rat In tho thatch. and as for the wolf he must
bs her Familiar; for like Groa, her mother.
swanhild plays much with witohoraft. Now I
will away back to Gudruda. for my heart mis-
doubts me Of this matter. Bide thou here till
comer' And he turns and Rallops back to the
head OF GoIdfoss.
Now 1t Ia to 10 told that when Eric left her.
Gudruda drew yet nearer to the edge OF the
mighty falls and sealed herself on tho very
brink. Her breast was full Of 10y. even to
bursting. and there she sat and let the spien-
dor OF the sight and the greatness OF the rush
ing sounds sink into her heart Yonder shone
the setting sun. poised. as It were. on West
IA nd hor - ant
waters. and by that path Eric had como back
to her Yea. aud there on Sheepsaddle WAS the
road that he had trod down Goldfoss; and but
now he had slain one Barssark and won
another to be his thrsll. and they two alone had
smitten the company OF Ospakar. and como
thence with honor aud but little harmed.
Surely no such man as Eric had ever lived
none 90 fnir and strong and tender: and ah.
she was right happy In his lovsl She
stretched ont her arms toward him whom but
On hour gone she had thought dead. but who
had lived to come back to her with honor, and
blessed his beloved nsme. and laughed aloud
In her joyousness Of heart. oAlllnc:
"Eriei Eric."
But swanhild. creeping behind her. laughed
not. She heard 0udruda's voice and guessed
0udruda's Joy. and jealousy rose within her
and rent her. Should this fair rival live TO
take her 10y from herr
Grey Wolf. Grey Wolff what ssyest thou :"
Bee. now. II she were gone. II she rolled .
corpse In those deep boiling waters. Eric
might yst bs hers: or. II he was not horn, yet
GudFuda's he could nevsr be.
"Grey Wolff what Is thy counsel :"
Right on the brink Of the great gulf sat Gud.
ruda One stroke aud all would be ended
Eric had gone: there was no eye to see-none
save tho Grey VOLTS: there was no tongue to
tell the decd that might be done. Who could
call her to ACCOUNT Tho Godsi Who were
the Gods2 What wore tho 0ods7 Wsre they
not dreams? There were no Gods save the
Gods Of Evil-the Gods she knew and COM
muned with.
"Grey Wolf. Grey Wolff what is thy rede7"
There sat Gudruda- laughing in tho triumph
OF her JOY. with the sunset glow shining on her
beauty. and thore behind her. swsnhild crept-
crept like q fox upon his sleeping prey.
Now she is there-
II hear thee, Grey Wolff BeRons! back to
my bresst, Grey Wolff"
Surely Gudrudn heard somewhst7 She half
turned her head. then again fol- to calling
aloud to the waters:
"Ericl beloved Eriol-ahi 10 there ever
light like the light OF thine eyss-is thers ever
Joy like the Joy OF thy kiss2"
Swanhild heard. and her SPRINGS Of mercy
froze. Hate and fury entered into her. She
rose upon her knees and gathered mp her
strength:
Seek. then. thy Joy In aoldfoss." she cried
aloud. and with all her force she thrust.
Gudruia fell: fathom or moro she fell then
with a CRY. clutched wildly at little ledge Of
rock. and thero she hung. her feet resting on
the shelving bank. Thirty fathoms down.
swirled and poured and rolled tho pitilsss
waters Of tho Golden Falls. A fathom above.
red in tho red light Of evening. lowered the
meath her and saw. Pale with agony she looked
up and saw. but she said naueht.
Let 20. my rival; lot eoi" cried swanhild:
"there Is mono to help thee. and mono to tell
thy tale Let 60. say. and seek thy marriage
bed In doldfoss!"
But Gudruda olunR on and gszed up with
white face and p.teous eyes.
What! art so fain OF q moments lise?"
said Swanhild. Then will save thee from
thyself. for 1t must be hdeous to endure thus!"
and she ran to seek rock Now she finds
one and. staggering beneath its weight to the
brink Of the guilt peers over. Still Gudruda
hangs. Space yawns beneath her, the waters
roar In her ears. tho rod sky CLOVIS above She
sees Swanhild come and shrieks aloud.
Eric is there. though swanhild hears him
NOT Ior tu0 sounu OI nlB uorBo 3 RaloplnR I0et
Is lost In the roar Of waters. But that ory
comes to bis ears. he sses the poised rock. and
all grows clear to him. He leaps from his
horse, and. even a. she looses the stone.
clutches Swanhid's kirtIo ana hurls her hack
The rock bounds sideways and presently is lost
In the boiling watera
Eric looks over. He secs Gudruds's white
face cleaning in the gloom. Down he leaps
upon the ledge. though this is no easy thing.
Hold fast. come; hold fast" no cries.
II can no more" gasps Gudruds. and one
hand slips.
He Rrasps the rock and. stretching down.
ward. grips her wrist; just As her hold loosens
he grips 1t. and she swings loose. her weight
hanging On his arm.
Now he needs must lift her up and that with
one hand. for tho ledge is narrow and he dare
not loose his hold Of the rock above She
swings over the great gulf and she is senseless
ss onedesd. he gathers all his mighty strength
and lifts. His feet slip little. then catch. and
onoe moro Gudruda swings. Tho sweat bursts
ont upon his forehead and his blood drums
through him. Now 1t must be. or not at all
ho life and hta pousolao o<.oin .nA