The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-19

by Saturday, and Friday found him on
his legs again. Then he thought Of
what Aslang's father had said, "If you
can get up to her next Saturday without
being stopped by Canuto aud his men,
tho girl shall bo yours - Over and
over again no looked up at Husaby
farm. II shall never eco another Christ
mas, '" thought Thor.
AZ before mentioned, there was but
one path up to Husaby hill, but surely
any strong, ablo follow must be able to
get to it. oven though tho direct way
wero barred to him. For instance, if
no wcro to row round tho point yonder
and faston his bout at the ono sido, 1t
might BIO possible to climb up there, al
though it was SO very steep that the
goats had great difficulty in climbing
it, and they arc not usually afraid of
mountain work
Saturday camo, and Thor went out
carly i'll tho morning. Tho day was
most beautiful; tho sun shono so bright
~ that the very bushes soomed aliva
Up OH tho mountain many voices wero
''jodcling, and there was much blow
ing Of horns When evening came, he
W oSo oAeti4iS oO 1Ao tlOOE WAtCulQG
tho stcaming mist rise up on tho hills
Ho looked upward-ll was quiet He
looked over toward Husaby farmland
then he jumped into his boat and rowod
away round tho point
Aslang sat before the hut Her days
work was done Sho was thinking Thor
would not como that evening, and that,
therefore, many others might como in
stead, so she unfastened tho dog. and
without saying anything walked farther
ON Sho sat down SO that sho could 500
across tho valley, but tho mist was ris-
ing there and prevented her looking
down Then she chose another place,
and without thinking moro about it sat
down 80 that sho looked toward tho side
whero lay tho ford. 1t seemed to bring
pcaoo to her soul when sho could gaze
far away across tho water.
AS sho sat there tho fancy struck her
that she was inclining to sing. 80 she
chose q song with "long drawn notes, -
and far and wide 1t sounded through
tho mountains Sho liked to hear her
solf sing. 30 she began over again when
tho first Verse WAS ended But when she
had sung tho second 1t seemed to her as
though some one answered from far
down below. Dear me, what can that
boz thought Aslang. She stopped for
ward to the edge and twincd hor arms
round d slender birch which hung from
bling ovcr the procipico and looked
down But sho could SEQ nothing The
ford lay there calm and st rest Not a
single bird skinned the water So As
lang sat herself down again, and again
she began TO sing. Onco moro came the
answering voice In the same tones, and
ncaror than tho first time THAT sound
WAS no echo, whatever 1t may bA" As
lang jumped to her feet and again loan
Cd over tho cliff. And there down below
at tho foot of tho rocky wall she saw u
boat fastened 1t looked like u tiny nut
shell. for 1t was very far down She
looked again and saw fur cap aud un-
der it tho figure Of man climbing up
tho steep and barren cliff.
'rWhat can it boz" AslnnR asked her
self, and lotting 90 the birch she stop
ped back She dared not answer her
own question but we'll she know who
itwas Sho flung herself down upon the
E1pcnsward and seized the grass with
both hands, ~ though 1t were sho who
dared not loose her hold for fear of fall
ing But the grass came up by tho
roots She screamed aloud and dug her
hands deeper and deeper into tho soil
Sho prayed to God to help him, but
then 1t struck her that this feat of
Thor's would be called tempting PROV
idenca and therefore he could not cx-
pect holp from above.
Only just this onco" she prayed
Hear my prayer just this ono tin>o
and holp him." Then she throw her
ar1ns round tho dog, as though 1t were
Thor whom sho WAS clnsping, and rolled
herself OH tho grass beside it
Tho time seemed to her quite endless.
Suddenly the dog began to bark
'Bowwow" said he to Aslang and
jumped upon her. And again, "Wow-
wowf' Then over tho edge of tho cliff
a coarse. round cap camo to Wow, and
Thor was III her arms,
He lay there whole minute, and
neither of them was capable of tutoring
syllable And when they did begin to
talk there was neither sense Ilor reason
i'll anything they said
But when old Canute Husaby heard
Of it no uttered remark which had
both salsc and reason. bringing his fist
down on tho table with q tremendous
crash The lad deserved her. +" no cried.
Tho girl shall DO his!'-Bjornste rnc
BjOrnson