The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-25

resolution She groped her way TO Nils
bed and shook him by the arm. To her
astonishment he rose Immediately 20 "a
sitting posture, rubbed his eyes and
asked drowsily:
What's the matter?'
He did not recognize her face in the
twilight and therefore betrayed no sur
prise.
81 want you TO help me. Nils, abe
said in a strained whisper
WHO is it,"
1T is I-IIulda.
Nils became wide awake in an in
gant, bounded out of bed without the
least regard for ceremony, pulled on his
trousers, and she had scarcely reached
the outer vcstibulo before he had over
taken her She could hardly trust her
eyes when she saw him stand before
her, completely clothed
"What is it, Miss Huldy?" he asked
anxiously
"Will you promise me- first, Nils,
ihat whether you help me or not you
will never tell any one:"
Trust me for that, Hiss Huldy.
amt the tcllin kind.
IL know that Nils and that's the
reason l came TO see you l want you TO
hitch up the big roam and drive me as
fast as the horse will carry us TO Bar
holm.
"Tbs little bay is faster, Miss Huldy.
But the steamer does not leave there
until . o'clock.
II know it, Nils, aud you viii hurry
all you can"
"Trust me for that, Miss Huldy
And take the bells off tho harness,
Nils. "
"Lor, Miss Huldy, reckon I've got
ssome little sense left.
She pressed herself closer into the
shadow Of the walk and with loudly
palpitating heart stood counting the
minutes In spite Of her eagcrness to bo
gone, she could not Danish the regrets
that thronged her mind at the sight of
the dear familiar objects which met her
gaze ON every side The weather vage
ON the storehouse which stood out sharp
ly against the bright sky, the road that
wound along the ford, the outline Of
the mountains that had hodged i'm her
little world from as far back as she could
remember-all aroused host of mem
ories that lifted up their ghostly arms in
/ the moonlight, warning her not TO take
the fatal step. But there stood Nils, all
ready with the sleigh, and with am ach-
ing heaviness she approached it, turning
about and staring with "a lingering irrCs-
/ olutiOn at the house whose shuttcrless
/ windows CLEANED through the nude
/ trees The glance they turned upon her
I seemed so strangely human that it made
! her superstitious. And there were tho
/ stars above in their sublime romotenoss,
suggesting the futility Of all fret and
fuIae, and the righteousness Of the cx-
/ citing little drama which she was enact
ing, and the wisdom Of placid fatal
/ ism.
Il reckon the folks might be a-stirrin
soon ef ye don { start" A" Nils remarked
casually, pulling out a tangle in the lit
tie bays tail
His voice aroused her from her rcverie
and presented once more the cruel al
tentative Cutting reflections short. she
stepped into the sleigh and allowed
Nils TO tuck the robe about her and
buckle it behind. With phantomlikG
haste dixie the dead bridegroom in Bur
GERS ballad), they swung ont upon the
road, and for a long while they sped on
in silence, no sounds being heard but
the muffled hoof beats Of the horse. The
absence Of the bells with their merry
jingle gave an air Of stealth and mystery
TO her flight. I'm spite Of her acute con
not rid herself of a childish feeling o
guilt, as if she had been sent 10 the blue
room, and made her escape instead Of
accepting her punishment IL was no
until she was four or five miles away
from the parsonage, where tho landscap'
was less familiar, that she began q
breathe more freely and shake of he
oppression. But even then she had Il
exert herself TO conquer that chilly fune
real feeling-that foreboding of calam
ity which now and then stole like "a
icy gust through her mind IL was
positive relief when she came to thinl
Of tho risk that Nils had taken for he
sake. He would surely lose his place j
! il were discovered that he had assistoD
her Aud as nothing ever remained un
discovered in the parish, Nils had with
! out a word Of remonstrance taken In
chance of incurring the enmity Of tn
formidable Mrs. Brinckman whom II
man offended with impunity. There va
something touching to Hulda IN thi
stanch, mute, unquestioning devotion
: which never suspected its own worth
She resolved, if ever fortune favored her
TO reward Nils magnifcently.
1t was about half past in tho morn
; Ing when they arrived at Barholm. III
steamer wGs seen rounding a headlan
far out in the ford, and the moon, whic
) was just dipping under the edge Of ia
? mountains, shone upon the black sInok
that rose from its chimneys, trailing lik
: a huge winding serpent in its track. TX
J light Of a kerosene lamp threw feeol
: glare upon the snOw about the two win
. dows in that part Of the inn whic
served for a country store and Dostoflics