The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-01
"Yust as yo' laike-any plaice will

ust as yo' lalke-any plalce will
dc for mae.''
There was a dangerous look in the
eyes of both-a murderous CLEAN that
made Christmas heart beat with ter
ror.
"No, no." she said, "yo' skall note
go from har togadder. Yo' must note
faight. Swan, Swan" laying her hand
on his shoulder-"have yo' no love for
mae det yo' skall act like dees?"
He shook her off. "Ay'll tend to Ole
first, and then ay skall COON back and
feex yo'," he said, roughly. "Coom
on" turning to Larson.
They went out together. Christina
was about to follow, when a querulous
voice from the sleeping-room called
out, in the Swedish tongue:
christina, Christina, what is the
matter?"
Nothing, nanny, nothing" she
said, also in Swedish, with fright
ened, half-soothing ring in her voice
opening the door Of the inner room as
she replied and softly closing it again.
She waited moment until every
thing was still; then, grasping an old
red shawl of her mothers, brought
from the fatherland in Sweden, she
ran out into the night after the two
men. She could hear the cracking of
the dry twigs and then in hollow be-
tween the dwarf stumps she could see
two dim figures struggling under the
stars.
She could hear the painting breaths
of the two men as they struggled in
! the dark-curses, savage blows, angry
| CALCULATIONS. Suddenly shrill, sharp
cry of agony came up from the hollow;
low shout of brutal triumph. Then
one shadowy figure arose in the dark
ness and staggered toward her. The.
other lay motionless in the shadow of
I the stumps. 1t was Swanson who APP
| preached her.
"Yo'-yo' have keelled him." she
gasped, turning her white face up to
his.
"Yas, sir" he said, hoarsely-"k "keell-
ed him-and no-no ct bane yor turn!"
A new look of terror came into her
face.
@Yo' wouldn't keel mae, would yo',
SWAMI" she cried.
Keel yo'P-Yas, sir; SO quick as ay
keel heem."
She threw herself on her knees and
began to speak rapidly in their native
tongue.
Think of the love you used to have
for me, Swan-tnink how happy we
were"
"Yes," he cried, bitterly, also in
Swedish, show happy we could have
been if you had been true to me. But
now," fiercely, "it's too late"
With sudden fury he caught her
by the arm. She struggled to free
herself, crying: "For Gods sake,
Swan, don't kill NEEDN'T kill me.
Think of my poor old father in the
house yonder-think of my mother
poor old nanny. Swan-think if it
was your mother, Swan"
A groan escaped from the lumber
mans lips. His hand dropped down
to his side. Tears began to trickle
down his face.
81 loved you so much-so much" he
said, in an absent-minded, weary kind
of way-still speaking in the language
of the fatherland-"an it's all ended
like this. See, Christina, what bought
for you-a brand-new locket with q
| chain-and new boots and jacket for
myself, just to please you, girl-so I'd
look right and city like in your eyes
and now that's all past, and rm-I'm
a murdereri Oh, God!'
He sat down on the damp ground
and sobbed until the earth seemed to
quiyer with the vehemence of his
grief. She knew not what to say or
how to console with him-for always
before her eyes was that dark form,
lying in the hollow among the stumps,
and through her brain rang the word
murderer
A step in the dry twigs aroused her.
She looked up. A figure was just
crossing the ray of light from the win
dow, and it was that of the dead
man" in the hollow. All the supersti-
ton in her nature was aroused. A
frightened cry came from her lips.
''Swan, Swan" she gasped, leaning
over and grasping the lumberman by
the shoulder, "it's him-Ole's spirit
, the dead mans coming for u.s."
, Swan sprang to his feet and looked
: across the clearing at the approaching
; figure. 1t staggered as it came nearer.
! The lumberman's breath came in great
gasps. Its him." he said, coles
t ghost!"
They both stood trembling, not
, knowing what to do-too frightened tc
move or speak. But presently voice
came out of the darkness-came from
the black shadow that approached
them-and spoke in good Swedish:
: "It's me-I'm almost done up-helr
9 me into the house."
A great sob came up from the lum.
7 berman's throat. "Thank Godw he
{. aid--"Thank God l didn't kill him.
1 Springing toward his late antago
!. mist, he caught him about the shoul
: ders and helped him into the cabin
;. Christina followed, dazed but strange
b ly happy. Ole was not badly injured
!. He had tainted, that was all. Half al
hour later he was able to leave. SwaI
:. offered to walk back to town with him
y Before they had gone half a rod Chris
o tina called through the darkness.
r "Swan, COON har bit meenit," sh
d said in broken English.
= Swan went back.
: Christina placed her arms arount
:. his neck.
b "Kees mae, Swan" she said.
S He touched his rough cheek agains
= hers.
Il "Coom back tomorrow naight-
a alone" she said.
e And then Swan left her and walke
y back to town arm-in-arm with Ole.-
e ". D. CoGey.
8 Died and CAPTURED the BURGLARS