Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-02

| him so that he was obliged to break or
ana stand drawing his sword from his
siieatl ana Sidmming it back with a sharp
sound His voice came back in q hoarse
roar WI hen / reckon up the debt against
You L know that the only thing to wine If
out would be your life. Not taken by moi
son nor underhandedly. but torn ont of
your deceitful body as stand face to
race. If / could do that ii might be thar
my anger would be quenched" Again ba
drew his blade half out--and this time no
ala not shove it back. His huge body SEEM
ed to draw itself together crouchine as be
leaned forward why do you stand there
looking as though you thought YOU were
odin! DO you think to blunt my weapon
with your eyes? Why. do you tempt rne?"
The king had not moved away from the
chalr against which he had staggered and
the prints of his nails were on its arm, He
was as though he had hardened to stone
10 show You that am stronger than YOU.
though l face you with bare hands he
said. ITO show You that you dare not kill
me-" A
Dare mott" Rothgar's laughter was =
hideous thing as he cleared a bound tho
space between them. His sword was fun
olaWn now: Shout for your guards, II
may be that they will get here In time
But the king neither gave back nor raised
nus ms voice: Il will not" he said nor will 1
mt hand against you. Never shall YOU
nav daue II 10 say that forgot you had en-
IL snail be to break the blood-oath"
Now they were breast to breast. In her
NINA, the girl In the shadow flung open the
doors and shrfeked to the sentineIs and
reused the palace in her body. she stood
spellbound, voiceless brea thless
Still ROthgar did not strike. II was the
KING who spoke this time also. Among
the sayings of men in Norway" he said
cody there is one they tell of traitor
who carried d sword of death against his
king, but la ked the holiness to use If be-
rore the kings face. So he begged his lord
TO wrap cloak around his head that ha
might get the courage to ask a boon When
that had been done, he stabbed. Do YOU
want me to cover my eyes?"
With hoarse cry, Rothgar flung his
sword back to his sheath recoiling-there
was even kind of fear in his manner: "A
FOOL would 1 be to set your ghost free 10
follow me with that look on its face, Keen
your nfe-and instead 1 will torture every
Angle can get under by grip, for ii is they
VINO nave turned great hero into a NTH
lng-may they despise you you have de.
spised your people for their sakes. In.
vokfng the curse with a sweep of his hand.
less arm. he strobe from the room.
Randalfn did not see when he passed her.
for her eyes were on the king as he stood
looking after his foster brother.
"Ah. God, what terrible world hast
Thou made!" she murmured, as she put up
her hands to ease the swelling agony in her
throat mo longer will try to live in It.
| will go to the sisters and remain with
them always"
Through the doors opening before
the Jotun there came in sudden
buzz of laughing voices, while breeze
brought through the window a rine.
Ing of bells and a clarioning of ap-
preaching horns Upon the girl in the
shadow and the king on the dais, the
sounds fell like the dissolving of spell.
She ran swiftly to the little door behind
the tapestry and let herself out unseen,
unheard The king mounted the throne
he had won and sat there in regal state,
facing the throng of splendid cOurtier1
trooping in to give him their wedding greet
ngs
Go be concluded tomosroW3