Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-02-05

empty eyes, there arose a dream OF his
own northland. The ford glimmered
gray between black walls Of rock; the1
snowy land lay white and silent in the
winter twilight, darkened with long
violet shadows upon the eastward hills
Here and there breath Of smoke rose
skyward from some half buried grange.
Again he saw their fathers hall-the
hearth with great logs roaring in red
flame, the long tables where house
carries laughed and clattered the mead
horns, and high up on the dais the rud-
dy face and beard of the old viking
crowning the feast, Thorlinda at his
side.
While he mused his brother came from
among the shades Of the thicket seeking
him and threw an arm in kindly way
about his shoulders.
"Why, Gudmund, were the dark girls
shy, or are you unkind to them?'' he
asked.
st dreamed of home, said the youn-
ger duly. "EoJ soon do we sail?"
Thorolf pushed him roughly away.
"That again? You are an ungrateful
fool who would wander from good
land to a worse. Yet, take the men and
go. shall stay"
elbow shall greet the home folk
from you, an honorless man, and your
troth to Thorlinda?"
Thorolf scowled, and his Land flew to
his swordless side. Nothing rouses the
wild beast SO quickly in the mind Of a
weak man as when another steps in to
help his better angel in the losing fight.
Anger famed hot i'll ThorOlf' S face as he
sprang forward, but Gudmund's sword
flashed bare, and for the first time the
elder man gave back and shrank from
leaping with clinched hands against
leveled blade His glance, which had
ever been stead and as Eeen as steel
when swords were drawn, changed to a
heavy look, and he lowered his eyes be-
fore the scorn of his brothers. gaze.
Then as the brute within him rose in
final triumph over his better self he
turned away with laugh.
"Go to the cold northern land. Go
yourself and shiver between Thorllnda's s
arms he cried out and strobe back into
the musky shade.
Once again the long dragon ship lay
ready to sail. Of her crew some had
been lost at sea, some had died, and
some had wandered away with savage
maidens far into the inland valleys. Yet
still a remnant were eager to follow
Gudmund homeward. They were rich
with the gold of that land. They could
buy fields and farms in their own coun-
try and pass their old age in peace. For
five days they had been working hard
Gudmund hardest Of all-calking the
seams of the old warship, filling the
water casks and victualing her with sun
| dried fish and fruit and such meat as
they could get.
Thorolf, with his dark mistress, had
kept apart Once the gray helmsman
had talked with Gudmund, proposing
| that they should bind his brother in
| sleep and carry him aboard, since it was
a shame that hero should thus be lost,
and if they left him the black people
| would surely kill him when alone
| among them. Gudmund struggled with
| the thought A wild and anxious hope
had filled his mind. Against this his
| duty to Thorolf rose clear and strong.
Yet after all why should be drag his
brother from his happiness? Surely he
could not love Thorlinda, nor would she
| love him if she knew. And he lifted his
head and answered, "My brother has
chosen his own way"
Now all things about the ship were
ready for sailing. The crew pushed hel
out through the low wash of the sea,
and clambering over the sides settled
themselves at their thwarts. Even al
thew did SO Thorolf came through the
thicket and walked slowly down the
beach. The men lay on their oars watch
! ing him. Seeing that they paused, he
too, stood still, and with his heel crush
ed delicate seashell into the sand.
"Pull, men!'' said Gudmund and GOV
cred his eyes with his hand.
The oars rumbled in the rowlocks
but with the first stroke Thorolf threV
his arms above his head, strobe forwar'
and shouted:
"Stop"
| AS he ran down the beach a darl
skinned girl burst wildly from tn
thicket, shrieked and plunged back Int
the shade, then leaped forth again
grasping bow, with brightly featf
cred arrow drawn to the head. The ses
men stood upright and shouted. Gut
mund waved his arms, and Thoro
paused and turned, only to see n
death. for at that moment the AFRO
whistled and sank deep into his sld'
AS he fell Gudmund leaped into II
water and moment after knelt besle
him. The dying man frowned hxedly
him. =,
Thorolf's right hand had a',rlpped u
arrow Just above the wound.ano pIoke
it short. The blood dripped steadily o
tween his fingers, blackening the Whl
!. sand. Thus the two gazed at each OF
: er, nor could all the strength OF ha'ui
! grief keep back from Gudmund's eyes
snarkle Of hope and joy. Thorolf' s mou
twitched. His shuddering breath pro
into great sob that sent blood gu
from the wound.
: "You have Thorlinda. hate you
, , he moaned, then turned upon MS Iae
aasped once and never stirred agaln-
A black autumn afternoon gioon
:, above the ford. The ocean snlvefs
/ gray and white beneath 9 c0aa' y