Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-04-14

again fixed her duh eyes upon him
with something of wonder and reluet-
ant admiration. Presently she trim
med an oil lamp, and set 1t, ournlns
6imly, on the table. Then she went TO
the bed and bent over it--after pause
of several minutes, she turned and
made a reckoning sign with her finger
Guldmar advanced little,-when a
81 dden eldritch shrek startled him
back. almost curdling the blood in his
veins. Out Of the deep ohscurity, like
some gaunt spectre rising rom the
tomb. started face, wrinkled, ca
daverous. and distorte' by sunering.~-
a face in which the fierce fevered eyes
slittered with q strange and dreadful
hriliaucy- the face OF l.ovisa Els(and,
stern, forbidding, and already dark
with the shadows Of approaching
death She stared vacantly at Guild
mar, whose picturesque mead was IL
lumined by the ruddy glow Of the IRE
and feebly shaded her eyes as though
she saw something that hurt them
Ulrika raised her on her tumbled pill
low, and saying, in cold, unmoved
toneS--"Speak now, for the time Is
short" she once more beckoned the
bondc imperatively.
He approached slowly
"LoviSa Elsland," he began in dis
tinct tones, addressing himself to that
gtastly countenance still partly shaded
by one hand. Il am here--Olaf Guild
mar. DoSt thou know mc?"
At the sound OF his voice, a strange
spasm contorted the withercd features
of the dying woman. She bent her
head as though to listen to some far
off echo, and held up her skinny finger
as though enjoining silence,
know thee!" she hahhled whisper
ingly. "How should I know the
own-haired Olaf! Olaf Of the merry
eye-Olaf, the pride of the Morse
maidens?" She lifted herself In a
fore erect attitude. and stretching out
her lean arms. went on as though
chanting monotonous recitatiVe,
"Olaf, the wanderer over wild seas
he comes and goes in his ship that
sails like white bird on the sparkling
waters--long and silent are the days
Of his absence are the
Fields and Fiords without the smile OF
Olaf Olaf the King!"
She paused. and Guldmar regarded
her in plying wonder. Her face
changed to new expression one of
wrath and fear
Stay, stay" she cried in penetrating
accents. "Who comes from the South
with Olaf? The clouds drive fast be-
fore the wind clouds rest on the edge
of the dark Fjord- sails red as blood
flash against the sky WHO comes with
Olaf? Fair hair ripples against his
breast like streaming sunbeams; eyes
blue as the glitter of the northern
lights, are looking upon him. lips Grim
son and heavy with kisses of Olaf
an" She broke off with cry, and
beat the air with her hands as though
to keep some threatening thing away
from her. Back, back! Dead bride
of Olaf, torment me no more-back
See, and she pointed into the dark
ness before her-"The pale, pale face
the long glittering hair twisted like
a snake of gold, glides along the
path across the mountains, the child
follows!-the child Why not kill the
child as well-why not?"
She stopped suddenly with wild
laugh. The bonde had listened to her
rawlings with something of horror, his
1uddy cheeks growing paler.
"By the gods. this Is strange!" he
muttered, "She seems to speak of my
wife,-yet what can she know OF herr"
For some minutes there was silence
Lovisa seemed to have exhausted her
strength. Presently, however, she put
aside her struggling white hairs from
her forehead, and demanded fiercely-
Where is my grandchild? Where
Is Britta?"
Neither Guldmar nor Ulrika made
any reply. But Britta's name recalled
the old woman to herself, and when
she spoke again 1t was quite collect
eddy, and in her usual harsh voice
She seemed to forget all that she had
just uttered, for she turned her eyes
UPON the bonde, as though she had but
then perceived him.
SO you are come, Olaf Guldmar,"
she said. at is welI,--for the hand OF
death is upon me-
1T is well indeed, II 7 can be of
service Lovisa Elsland," responded
Guldmar, Though ! am but sorry
consider, holding, as ] do, that death
is the chief blessing, and In no way to
be regretted at any time. Moreover,
when the body grows too weak to sup
port the soul. tits as we'll to escape
from 1t with what speed we may"
Escape escape Where" nskrd
Lovisa. From the worm that dietb
not? From the devouring flame that
is never quenched? From the tortur-
ing thirst and heat and darkness Of
hell. who shall escape?"
NAY, IL that Is all the comfort thy
creed can give thee" said the bonde
IA. rr