The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-22

be admitted, but Hulda lay st ring int
the air, scarcely comprehending what
was expected Of her. and five minute.
elapsed. during which Magda's knock
iEg grew more inpatient The crcak.
ing of the huge chesnuts in the garden
as they writhed and swayed was full of
Terrible suggestions, and the great harp.
like wall that swept skyward with each
mighty crescendo Of the blast made
her shudder TO the marrow of her bones.
a black whirlwind, sultry and oppress-
i've, seemed TO be gyrating perpetually
about her, and Falck's face, CHASTITY
white and distorted, kept staring at her
with reproachfully despairing eyes out
Of the gloom.
Magda, receiving no response TO her
knocking, became alarmed at last and
ran for Nils, who came and turned the
key in the lock with pair of pinchers.
Hulda was undre,sed aud doctored with
various household remedies which filled
the room with their pungent odors. For
three or four hours her sister sat hold
ing her hand, and with her cool palm
stroking her forehead. In spite Of the
younger girls affection for the elder
she could not rid herself Of "a certain
vague jealousy of her sorrow. There
was something so thrilling IN having
lovers and that sort Of thing who wrung
their hands and plunged into the jaws
of death and did all sorts of wild and
interesting things for your sake. Magda
did not exactly begrudge her sister this
felicity, but she yearned with a deep
heart hunger for similar experiences Of
her own and would have welcomed al
most any masculine creature who might
be disposed % relieve the blanlness vi
her existence.
The morning came at last, and though
the weather was thick and raw the
storm had abated. There was no per
ceptible dawn, but the gray sky began
toward noon TO show vague suffusion
of light. The lower strata of clouds.
whichwere being gcbased inland bya high
wind, Of which but an occasional breath
was felt below, spread in wide tattercd
sheets over the forests and sent down
precipitate showers when squeezed in
between the mountain tops.
Hulda arose with a sense Of heaviness
and aching fatigue and was coaxed by
her father 90 bear him company at
breakfast Though she strongly suspect
ed him Of eating "a second breakfast in
order TO induce her TO eat, she allowed
herself TO be hoodwinked and managed
70 swallow an egg and cup of coffee.
The pastor held no suffering to be com
Al hnH g
wretchedness TO be unbearable unless
hunger were superadded He therefore
frightened Up visibly as soon as he
perceived that his ruse was successful
and cheerfully stuffed himself with
bread and butter, Smoked salmon and
cold ham in the hope Of enticing her to
follow his example And there they sat
for 20 minutes, affectionately hood
winking each other, each shamming a
hearty appetite TO deceive the other.
Though the thoughts Of both with am
agonized persistence clung about Falck
and his fate his name was not once
mentioned Ii was great relief b.
Hulda when the comedy was at an end
and she could again surrender herself 10
her grief. Throwing a shawl about her
shoulders, rhe hastened down TO the
pier and there again 10 hel dismay ran
against her father, who stood with "a
broad brimmod hat on his head gazing
anNiously out over the water. There
was no need of further pretense, and
with a grave face the pastor walked up
10 her, kissed her brow, stroked her
cheek and said:
Poor child. poor childP
And she wept for awhile silently ON
his breast There We're many questions
which she wished 90 ask him, but there
seemed 70 be a certain inappropriuteness
ia all Of them, though they all related
to Falck' chances of rescue Sometimes
a queer doubt came over her, and she
questioned the reality Of her suffering
and tried to shield herself from the re-
sponsibility for her lovers fate, but that
was a dismal failure Then she again
made a mighty effort to Danish him
from her thought, but though she partly
succeeded it involved strain which
was as unbearable as the thought Sad
and joyous memories seemed equally
torturing. Tbe look Of Falcks face as
he arose with such simple dignity and
said IL am a priest Iwill 60, hover