The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-02-03

as he spoke the javelin flew, and, too
true, struck its mark and pierced deep
into the old crone's withered bosom,
and with a scream of surprise and
deathless hatred she spun round upon
her heels and grinned and staggered
and then plunged headlong into the sea
at her feet, and as we passed her GRIM
son blood was spreading in a great red
pool upon the dark heave of the smooth
flowing surf.
I know not whether it were true, as
some among my comrades thought, that
that thin old blood split so would bring
us luck, but presently it is true enough
we had another sign, for a raven came
flying off from the land and circled
round us and fell into our wake behind,
and as the black wings Of Odin's friend
and messenger went Tapping overhead
new spirit was born in my fierce crew.
They stretched their hands to heaven
and shouted with one voice a verse
from out the raven war song, then down
they went and with new courage
stretched them to their oars until
the red viking flag streamed bravely
out astern and the shields ratified
joyfully and the water lay in a white
streak along the low-dipping gunwale
OF the old Sea Wolf. Cape and bay and
headland slipped by. We had come into
a better peopled country. when on a
sudden Dane who kept our fore-watch
slapped his hand upon his thigh and
cried: "A burgh! a burgh! and not yet
plundered!" And there, following the
point Of his eager finger, we saw, three
miles away, a strong hall upon rocky
promontory, with trees and meads about
1t green and fair. and sheep upon the
hills and clustering huts below, all
sweet and peaceful. and a little harbor
everything, indeed, that could glad
viking heart; and, truly grateful, We
thanked the bird that had brought us
fortune, and paused in q little creek to
wait for nightfall.
All the afternoon the longship lay out
Of sight in the little cavern bay with
cliffs, green-tasseled with hanging
grasses, nearly meeting overhead, and
below the smooth swell Of the water
heaving the long tangles of sea grass
and weeds, and idly rejecting the stern
faces and golden mail of that grim crew
on board lolling about upon the deck or
hanging over the loaded bulwark to watch
the shining fishes at play deep down
below. Who would have thought that
pretty shadow listlessly rolling there on
the heave Of the wave was bent on such
an Grand? 1t was so still as we lay
screened In the cover that you could
hear the larks singing to themselves
high up In the blue over the cliff grass,
and the bubble and play Of the water in
the crevices Of the rocks all round US;
it was so still that presently this mo-
notony grew wearisome to my fierce and
heated spirit. 1 chafed and turned
and impatiently watched the sun
which seemed as though it would
never set, until at last a happy
idea entered into my head-I
would go and spy this burgh we were to
plumber, see how big and strong it was,
how many men held it and how much
profit We were like to come by in the
venture. With this fancy in my mind I
reused my handsome sleepy fellows,
who, at my voice stretched their great
limbs where they had lain sleeping on
the rowers' benches or turned their eyes
from gazing on the shining sea to look
on one another and say @Ulla is mad!
young Ulla Erlingson is wholly mad!"
But I pointed out how the madness
would vantage us. bow greatly it would
help US to know the lie and nature of
the hold, how could disguise myself so
that my mother should not know me,
and learn and see all could and be
back again with them safe and sound,
or by dangling on q gibbet above the
highest roof gave them something new
to fight for"-as Sarp Of Reyr said-be-
fore the twilight fell