The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-04-25
Chapter III

On the afternoon OF the next day
I returned to Bygdo. Mrs. Tremayne
welcomed me warmly, and so did the
invalid. AS she lay with her hair
falling over the pillow, her dark eyes
peered up into mine, and in a weak
voice she thanked me sincerely for
saving her life. l assured her that l
had done nothing, as the blow had
been struck so suddenly and mys-
| teriously that l had no opportunity
| OF protecting her. But she repeated
her words of thanks, and her white
hands grasped mine and held them
beautiful
My friend Larsen was away noun
taineering in Ttelemarken. Never
| theless, l did not return to England.
How frequently | called at Mrs. Tre-
| mayne's suburban retreat, or of the
happy, halcyon days / spent there,
during Eva's convalescence, / need
say nothing. Before long we were
engaged to be married Whenever I
askd her for explanation Of the
events that terrible night, she would
shudder and simply reply:
81 was stabbed"
or the cause could learn nothing.
One day, accompanied by Mrs Tre-
mayne, we had driven to Sundvolden,
a little village overlooking the Tyri-
Fjord. We had made the ascent of
the rocky Krogkleven by mules, and
spent the evening watching the sun
disappearing behind the snow-crown-
ed Gausta. 1t had turned chilly, and
the mists were rising before we COM
menced to descend. Our way lay
down a steep, winding saeter-track
that ran through a dark forest OF
pines, and then we entered a narrow
gorge where the birch trees met over
head and the mountain torrent
spashed down noisily.
With careful steps, our mules
logged along; but it was so dark we
could scarcely distinguish anything.
l was riding little behind. when |
suddenly felt conscious of some un-
known danger. A second later I saw
the figure of man laboriously toll
Ing upward. He paused, peering in
quisitively into my face. / started
involuntarily and held my breath.
His features were distorted by an
expression of intense hatred, his
his teeth showed even and white in u
cruel, hard mouth, the line between
his eyebrows was deep, the cheeks
sunken and sallow. Every line of the
forbidding-looking countenance was
already craven indelibly upon my
memory. 1t was the Man with the
Glass Eye!
lost in the darkness.
Did you see that man." / asked
my companions when / came up to
them.
what mani" asked Eva.
why, the man who Just passed
by. He had horribly ugly face"
II saw no man." she replied,
laughing. you must have been mis-
taken"
But saw him plainly. He halted
and stared as we passed." I said,
feeling convinced that she, too, had
noticed him.
II saw no one." Mrs. Tremayne
exclaimed. and felt half inclined to
believe that had only seen the sin
ister-faced man in imagination, that
the sudden feeling of insecurity
had experienced had conjured up q
reminiscence Of that terrible night.
Eva uttered some words in Nor
wegian to her mother, and then,
turning to me, asked:
What sort of man was he?"
He was addressed, pale, thin. and
looked like tramp. He had a glass
eye"
"A-a glass eye!" she gasped, in
a harsh, strained voice. as Mrs. Tre-
mayne also uttered an exclamation
of amazement. Are you absolutely
certain?"
II am positive 1t was of glass"
Perhaps he was thief" she said
Possibly we have had fortunate
escape. We were foolish to remain
on the summit so long"