Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-14

Alvin consented to laugh as he picked
himself up and untangled his runners; but
he was too much in earnest to be turned
aside.
II do not mean in regard to that" he
said, when they were once more In motion.
Il mean what she told concerning some
new untrodden land
Sigurd became instantly attentive, as
though the reference had been much in his
own mind also.
1T has occurred to me that perhaps she
was speaking Of that western land you told
me Of. It might be that this would be a
way out Of my difficulties. II could es-
cape to that land with Helga, SO would I
at once save her and gain my freedom"
Sigurd's eyes Frightened, then gloomed
again. "Yes-but that If Is like a mile
wide rift in the Ice. You can never get
over it,
''It might be that could get around It.
tell you I shall go out Of my wits II can
not see some trail to follow, no matter how
faint it Is. Tell me what else you know Of
this land
They were starting down a slope at the
speed Of the wind, but Sigurd suddenly
leaped into the air with cheer; and cheer
ed again as he landed. right side up and
unstaggered. at the bottom Of the hill.
'By Michael, I will do better than that
I will take you to talk with one Of Bion' 8
own men. One is visiting Aran Bow-Bender
now, across the ford. heard Brand Knuts
son say SO last week."
"By my troth Sigurd." Alvin cried eager
ly, when things come to ones hand like
that I believe it is sign that he should
try his luck with them! Would we have
time to go there today?"
Certainly; do you not see that the light
is only just fading from the mountain tops?
So 1t be but a little past noon. The
only difficulty is that the Ice may not be
in a condition for us to cross the ford. A
warm land wind has been blowing for three
days; and even In the north. where the
h,r,f <hn tao cff
under them. But now allow me to get my
bearings That is the smoke from Brat
tahild, behind us; and yonder see the roofs
Of Eric,s ship sheds. Here-we will go in
Of the bank
Across the white plain that stretched in
that direction they SKINNED accordingly.
Once they came upon herd of Eric,s REIN
deer, roofing under the snow for moss; but
aside from that they saw no living thing.
Low hanging gray clouds seemed to have
shut out the world. Now and then, from
far out in the open water came the grind
ing and crunching of huge Ice cakes, see
saving past each other. Once there sound
bergs in a duel.
'If there were any bears on that ice they
have found by this time that there can be
even worse things than men with spears"
Sigurd observed, as he listened
1t is doubtful whether Alvin had heard
the noise at all. He answered absently:
'fYes-and II we do not wish to come to the
subject at once we can say that we are
cold and dropped in to warm ourselves"
ITO say that we are cold will always be
truthfully spoken Sigurd assented, his
teeth chattering like beads. '.I do not be-
lieve that Stark-Otter was much chillier
when he pulled off his clothes and sat in a
snowbank."
It turned out to be even more truthful
than they imagined. They had little more
than left the shore and ventured out upon
the ice when the gentle east wind developed
into gale that presently wrapped them in
the binding roids OF snow storm: the ice
They had retained their STATS when they
left their skees upon the bank, but even
feeling their way step by step was by no
means secure. 1t was not long before Al
win went through up to his neck, and II he