Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-03-25


too. stood still, and with his heel crush
ed a delicate seashell into the sand.
"Pull, men !" said Gudmund and COW
cred his eyes with his hand.
The oars rumbled in the rowlocks,
but with the first stroke Thorolf threw
his arms above his head, STROBE forward
and shouted:
"Stopr'
As he ran down the beach dark
skinned girl burst wildly from the
tbicket, shrieked and plunged back into
the shade, then leaped forth again,
prasping a bow, with a brightly feath-
cred arrow drawn to the head. The sea-
men stood upright and shouted. Gud-
mund waved his arms, and Thoroif
paused and turned, only to see his
death, for at that moment the arrow
whistled and sank deep into his side
As he fell Gudmund leaped into the
water and moment after knelt beside
him. The dying man frowned fixedly at
him.
Thorolf's right hand had gripped the
arrow Just above the wound and broken
it short. The blood dripped steadily be-
tween his fingers, blackening the white
sand. Thus the two gazed at each 9th
er, nor could all the strength Of natural
grief keep back from Gudmund's eyes a
sparkle Of hope and Joy. Thorolf's mouth
twitched. His shuddering breath broke
into great sob that sent blood gush
from the wound.
"You have Thorlinda. hate you y
he moaned, then turned upon his face,
gasped once and never stirred again.
A black autumn afternoon gloomed
above the ford. The ocean shivered,
gray and white, beneath cold, wet
wind that drove the spray far inland and
tore the yellow leaves from bush and
tree. Folk had gathered on the hillside.
for from the headland the stormbound
fishermen had sighted tall dragon ship
driving in before the gale, and there
were many in the neighborhood whose
kinsmen had sailed in such ship with
the two brothers more than four years
ago.
Now the watchers could see her plain
ly, rolling and weltering in the angry
seaway, the spray breaking in sheets
above her. Storm battered she looked,
and her crew were few, yet they raised
shout as she lurched past the headland
and staggered up the ford. And now
they let the sail 60 with run. Now
with rush and surge of water about
her Prov the ship took ground at the
beach, and the seamen leaped over her
bows, waist deep, to be kissed and
thronged about by old sweethearts and
friends.
Gudmund stood still at the tiller,
haggard and bearded, grit with rough
fur cloak, his hair and forehead gray
with the brine which had dried upon
them. He staggered as he walked for
ward and dropped heavily to the beach.
his eyes fixed upon Thorlinda. Far out
at the ford mouth he had seen her tall
white figure, and his gaze had never left
it. Through all the voyage the thought
of her had been before him, dimmlng
the memory of his brother.
Had he acted for the best or had he
been false to both? He hardly knew. II
Thorolf had been true to her, would he
still, as of old, have fought down the pas
sionate love in his own heart? What did
it matter now if once he held her in his
arms? He had rowed with the strength
of any two, and when his men were
spent with labor and ceaseless bailing
it was he who had held the tiller when
they slept. It was he who had kept the
watch at night, with steady eyes upon
the northern stars.
He went toward her, slow and weak,
asking silently for glance, a word,
but she looked hey ond him to the empty
ship and to the seamen. At length she
turned to him and gave her hand, ask
ing quietly. though the words shook:
WAS it in battle he died, or did
Aegir. the wave god, take him?"
Then he began, looking downward,
and told her as best he could, but he did
not know what words he said, for he
could not hear the sound Of his own
voice, and he swayed slightly where he
stood. Yet, still speaking, he noticed
as in dream how scar and yellow the
grass had grown and how closely the
sheep had cropped it. A short cry broke
from his dream. He looked up and
stood rigid, for under her red gold hair
her blue eyes blazed, and in their angry
look he saw again his brothers. dying
face. Then she spoke. From her full
breast and throat the words came deep
and low:
Cousin" she said, mot without
fame you have come home, and you
shall indeed live long in the memory Of
men, for you are the first Of the house
of Egil to have earned the name of cow
ard and traitor.
Dreaming still, he turned and walked
toward the sea. The long sigh Of the
waves, the hurry Of the autumn wind,
heavy with rain and mist, all blended
with his dream. For moment the
storm wrack cleared to westward, and q
yellow glare came over the sky as the
setting sun shone ON black rocks and
green water and restless ridges Of foam.
Gudmund stood while the last glow lay
warm upon his eyes and matted hair.
Then as the clouds rolled up again he
L. Ill