The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-03-07

A black autumn afternoon gloomed
above the ford. The ocean shive1ed, 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 stombound 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 plainly,
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 a shout as she
lurched past the headland and staggered
up the ford And now they let the sail
90 with a run. Now with rush and surge
of water about her brow the ship took
ground at the beach, and the seamen
leaped over her bows, waist deep, to be
kissed and thronged about by old sweet
hearts and friends
Gudmund stood still at the tiller, hagg-
ard and bearded, girt with rough fur
cloak, his hair and forehead gray with the
brine which had dried upon them. He
staggered as he walked forward 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 leftit Through all the voyage
the thought of her had been before him,
dimming the memory of his brother.
Had he acted for the best or had he
been false to both He hardly knew If
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
1t 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, word, but
she looked beyond him to the empty ship
and to the seamen At length she turned
to him and gave her hand, asking quietly,
though the words shook
ssWas it in battle he died, OF did Aegir,
the wave god, take him p
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 drelm. 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, aud 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 coward 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. Fora moment the storm wrack
cleared to westward, and . yellow glare
came over the sky as the setting sun shone
on black rocks and green water and rest
less ridges Of foam. Gudmund stood while
the last glow lay warm upon his eyes aad
matted hair. Then as the clouds rolled
up again he sank down, unclasped the