Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-01

came, and still he staid in bed. On
Thursday, though, he began to think
about the possibility of being well again
by Saturday, and Friday found him on
his legs again. Then he thought of
what Aslang's father had said, eff you
can get up to her next Saturday without
being stopped by Canute and his men,
the girl shall be yours Over and
over again he looked up at Husaby
farm. 'Ishall never see another Christ
mas" thought Thor
As before mentioned, there was but
one path up to Husaby hill, but surely
any strong, able fellow must be able to
get to it, even though the direct way
were barred to him. For instance, if
he were to row round the point yonder
and fasten his boat at the one side, it
might be possible to climb up there, al
though it was SO very steep that the
goats had great difficulty in climbing
it, and they are not usually afraid Of
mountain work.
Saturday came, and Thor went out
early in the morning The day was
most beautiful; the sun shone SO bright
ly that the very bushes seemed alive.
Up on the mountain many voices We're
"jodeling," and there was much blow
ing of horns. When evening came, he
was sitting at his cottage door watching
the steaming mist rise up on the hills.
He looked upward-all was quiet. He
looked over toward Husaby farmland
then he jumped into his boat and rowed
away round the point.
Aslang sat before the hut. Her days
work was done. She was thinking Thor
would not come that evening, and that,
therefore, many others might come in
stead, SO she unfastened the dog, and
without saying anything walked farther
on. She sat down so that she could see
across the valley, but the mist was ris-
ing there and prevented her looking
down. Then she chose another place,
and without thinking more about it sat
down SO that she looked toward the side
where lay the ford. 1t seemed to bring
peace to her soul when she could gaze
lar away aCrOSS ING water.
As Sheet there the fancy struck her
that she was inclining to sing so she
chose song with ''long drawn notes, -
and far and wide it sounded through
the mountains She liked to hear her.
self sing, so she began over again when
the first verse was ended. But when she
had sung the second it seemed to her as
though some one answered from far
down below. "Dear me, what can that
be-" thought Aslang. She stepped for
ward to the edge and twined her arms
round slender birch which hung trem-
bling over the precipice and looked
down. But she could see nothing. The
ford lay there calm and at rest. Not a
single bird skinned the water. So AS
lang sat herself down again, and again
she began to sing Once more came the
answering voice in the same tones and
nearer than the first time "That sound
was no echo, whatever it may be-" AS
lang jumped to her feet and again lean
ed over the cliff And there down below
at the foot of the rocky wall she saw a
boat fastened 1t looked like tiny nut
shell, for it was very far down. She
looked again and saw fur cap and UNI
der it the figure of man climbing up
the steep and barren cliff.
"What can it be-" Aslang asked her.
self, and letting go the birch she step.
ped back. She dared not answer hef
own question, but we'll she knew who
it was. She flung herself down upon the
greensward and seized the grass with
both hands, as though it were she who
| dared not loose her hold for fear Of fall
ing. But the grass came up by the
roots. She screamed aloud and dug her
hands deeper and deeper into the soil.
She prayed to God to help him, but
then it struck her that this feat of
Thor's would be called tempting Prov
idence," and Therefore he could not ex-
pect help from above.
"Only just this once" she prayed.
"Hear my prayer just this one time
and help him." Then she threw her
arms round the dog, as though it were
Thor whom she was clasping, and rolled
herself on the grass beside it.
The time seemed to her quite endless.
Suddenly the dog began to bark.
''BowwowP' said he to Aslang and
jumped upon her. And again, Wow
wowp' Then over the edge of the cliff
coarse, round cap came to view, and
Thor was in her arms
He lay there a whole minute, and
neither Of them was capable of uttering
syllable. And when they did begin to
talk there was neither sense nor reason
in anything they said.
But when old Canute Husaby heard
of it he uttered a remark which had
both sense and reason, bringing his fist
down OH the table with a tremendous
crash. "The lad deserved her, !" he cried.
"The girl shall be NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.