The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-08-01

and his shabby dishabillc Hulda could
not but remark that he was still a gen
tleman, every inch of him There was
gentlemanly even in his seedi-
ness, and she was far from seeing any
thing comic in the airy loftiness of his
manner amid such miserable surround
ings
"Olaf," " she said seriously, looking
up at him with large pathetic eyes, 81
want 20 tell you what has happened SC
that you may lmow how to act was
to have been married to Falck month
ago last Wednesday, and the banns were
published, and everything was prepared
for the wedding.
The nasty beggarl You don't NEAR
to say that he worked the old lady &c
get her to pat the screws ON your
"No. he did nothing mean or un.
worthy, 1t was not his fault that
could not love him When l saw that
there was no escape, got Nils to drive
me in tho Light to Barholm, where
took the steamer to Bergen. That was
the night before the wedding Now,
know from the consul in New YorB
that either father or Falck is following
me to bring me back. He may be here
any day, and unless we are married -
Married. exclaimed the young
man, pausing in his walk and casting o
glance Of comic disgust at the sleeve OF
his threadbare overcoat well, if you
say so, 10y all means let's get married. -
He was about in the position of Don
Caesar de Dazan, to whom the same
proposition was made as he was prepar.
ing TO mount the scaffold, and he cheer.
fully assonted, since il made little diff
ference whether he died married or un.
married. Olaf Brun had made so com
plete failure since coming 70 the
United States, and being under the
necessity 10 earn livelihood, that he
was at loss to see how marriage could
in any way deepen his distress. 1t was
this sordid view which first presented
itself TO his mind, but as his glance fell
upon Hulda, whose pure loveliness sud
denly smote him anew, something Of
shame began to stir within him, anC
after having taken another turn on tn,
floor ne paused in front of her and said
Listen to me, Hulda. I'll tell you
frankly what l think. You are toe gooC
a girl to throw yourself away ON fel
low like me. Don't think / am fooling
dear. Don't make it too hard for me t
be honest with You l tell you l hav'
had the conceit knocked out of me sinc'
/ came TO this blasted country. am no
half the man / took myself to be. I'vi
been weak as rag. have consorte,
with the swine until now my money j
gone, and even the swine are beginning
TO get tired Of me | had the luck 4
fall in with lot of Norwegian bum
mers-ex-ssudents and ex-Oflicers ant
ex-everything else-who fiattered me
borrowed money Of me and threw IN
over when they had squeezed me dry
They were cultva'ed people from Chris
tiania, enormously proud Of their gen
tility and their learned education AM
scornfully superior TO America and al
things American. They are the Yors
company any man can get into this sid
of hell. Well, I've done with them, bu
/ am no more the man was-if ever
was anything TO bTag Of, which l ofte
doubt Let's not blink the fact that
was awfully conceited and that you
dear, by your love and admiration mad
me more so. 1t was a dastardly thing
did when l stole yCn away from tina
clerical ass Falck, who, dull though b
was as LutheI's catechism, was at leai
| an honest man.
She had listened in painful surpris
1 10 his self arraignment, being deepl
| touched in spite of his whimsical exag
I geration by the note Of despair whic
trembled audibly through his light diI
course. There was the old winning way
the reckless grace which had won he
unguarded heart in the days of old, an'
even in his self abasement there were
charming animation and fancy whicl
could only mean genius. Instead O
making her waver the consciousness
that he needed her, that without her al
his brilliant gifts would be lost TO him
self and humanity, only added urgenc
10 her resolution. Full of divine pit
she sat. tremulOusly eager to defen
him against his own accusations Blu
he gave her no chance, being determip
ed TO make a clean breast Of all his dc
linquencies while the mood was upo
him. II she took him then with her eye
open, il was her own lookout not his
But when he accused himself Of havin
stolen her from Falck her honest prid
rose in revolt. and she could keep siler
no longer
"No, you did not steal me. . she sal
with grave insistence. Il am not on
! who can be stolen. II was not yoI
fault that / loved you. Il came over n
so suddenly-the first ime We sang 4
gether. / could not tell how on why.
is easy 20 talk Of truth and fidelity. +