The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-25
CHAPTER VII.

Up came our anchor and out we
lurched upon the waves once more. We
set sail and drifted slowly down under
the cliff where stood the castle, and as
we came the fire ragged furiously until
when we were below that beetling brow
we were sailing on heaving molten sea
OF blood, and oil our spars and cordage
were shining copper red, and all the up
turned faces Of the vikings were flushed
and hectic In the shine-and then-oh,
bow can I write it?-just as We came
the nearest q white woman's form
stopped frantic out on top Of the tower
and clasped her hands across her eyes,
and hid her face and wept. And I-oh
the fercest, strangest gust Of agony
and Joy sprang up within my heart-l
gasped and glared, and, all forgetting
the strangeness of it in the horror Of
the moment, dropped the tiller. and
Ieaping to the clanking bulwarks stared
another moment, and then, out OF my
deepest heart, out Of the hot inspiration
Of my very soul, burst fierce, wild cry
Of "Gunna!"
And in an instant that white form was
on her feet and staring terror-dazed at
us, and then she saw me by the shrouds
as stood limned in gold, with all my
ship against the black setting Of the
night, and gazed down steadfastly up.
on me for a minute, then clapped hei
hands upon her bosom and stretched
them wildly to me, and above the hiss
ing Of the flame and the thud OF the
white surf upon the rocks heard her
cry, "Ulla! Ulla!"
And now the strength Of twenty jarls
was in my heart. I tossed off as though
they were baby fingers the strong grip
Of two stout fellows who thought to
stay me and in minute was in the spri
anu striking out bravely for the land.
The great frothy pillows OF the tide
boiled for space under my chin, and
now I was deep down in hunlming
black sea valley and anon mast high
upon a curling crest Of spume, and then,
all in the black shadow Of tho cliff. the
black waters seemed to dissolve into a
hell of ghostly chaos and white thunder,
and my feet touched the pebbly bottom.
l landed somehow, 1ut how only the
pale Norns can tell, and scrambled up
sheep track the boldest Of my men had
said in daylight was impossible; came
TO the palisades and clambered over
them. and rolled into the fort on top Of
two mangled TO lies, and up again, and
now, in the golden shine of the fire,
rushed to the great hall.
There in his chair Of state was the
dead chief just as my robbers had left
aim, with mouth wide open and fixed
eyes staring grimly down his hall and
golden wine cup clinched within his
fingers and bloody night gear wrapped
about him, while on his face the streaks
OF pain and anger twitching with a
hldcous mockery OF life as the smoke
curled and the flames went soaring over
head in rosy eddies. TO right and left
was wild disorder, tables overturned
and benches cast about, broken tiagons
! and squandered victuals, bent swords
and cleft targets, and costly stuffs pulled
into shreds and dead men a-sprawl upon
their faces, and blood and dirt and lit
ter, and over all the fire was humninG its
fierce song as it mounted from point to
point in the roof and shed great burning
| makes 6nQ emDers on Us Delow. buI
nothing l cared for blood and litter but
with foot of wind and heart hotter
than the flames above rushed through
the banquet place and brushing rudely
by the scowling king got out 10 the
inner court and SO reached the portal OF
the tower.
Over red path Of cinders few, anG
with my bare hand east the flame-ro
doorway into red ruins, and up lne
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