Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-07-09

loose white garment a saffron-cca
ored mantle of silken cloth and grid
led 1t closely about her. She turned
tnen to mirror of polished silver,
and with swift, dexterous fingers
bound up the rebellious masses of
her dark and glossy hair, and con-
| lined it within hoop of TURQUOISE
studded gold.
Peering under Thorold's arm.
Little Nils cried out in childish de-
light at her beauty, and she turned
swiftly. with paling cheek. Yet she
neither cried out nor fed, but stared
calm-eyed at the tawny Northman
IN the doorway. And when, striding
forward, he pointed toward the sea
| and beckoned her to him, she gave
only little scornful laugh by way
of reply, and with look of bitter
mess and, hatred darkening her face,
| pointed, in her turn, through an
arched easement behind her. Three
mel were coming down path, the
Est shaggy, savage bulk, wearing
a leather war-cap, the others, re-
tainers evidently, bearing burdens Of
p-ovender and fuel. ~
Thorold looked once at the men
without and twice at the woman be-
| Tore him. Then, leaping forward, he
jerked off his shoulder belt, bound
her both hand and foot, and clasping
her close to him, strode out again.
Even then she made not outcry, but
fought him fercely, sinking her
strong white teeth into the flesh of
his arm and breast. He gained the
open with her, but there the three
islanders met him midway and ran
forward with savage shout He laid
the woman down, but could never
have cleared his long sword had not
Little Nils, screaming shrilly, inter-
posed his helpless body. and futile
| blade. They thrust him through
| quickly and trampled him underfoot,
, the blood bubbling on his lips, '.Odin
and Thor" he babbled as he sank
| down. "Odin and Thor. They be the
! gods.''
The two retainers fell .facile prey
/ to the long two-handed sword which
the Northman now flashed hither and
tfither like darting lightning, but
| their leader, running in close would
have ended the struggle with his
short Roman blade had not Thorold
dropped his weapon and grappled.
Yet even so it was losing fight, for
the Northman, unarmed now, could
at best but hold back the weapon of
| his adversary. With close-locked
! limbs they pitched hither and thither
! about the turf, neither gaining. Yet
| steadily ThOrold felt his famished
| and war-worn limbs grow weary, and
| never for an instant did the vigor of
his adversary abate. He felt him
self yielding at last, and saw a flame
| OF triumph kindle and flare up in the
eyes OF his enemy.
And, too, another thing Thorold
saw then-the woman sitting up un-
steadily, watching them with parted
lips and heaving breast. Suddenly
she bent over her bound wrists and
tore at the fetters with her teeth.
They had been tied hastily, and in a
moment her freed hands were loosen
ing the strap about her feet. Then.
turning to one of the huddled corpses
beyond, she snatched up dagger
and ran swiftly back with it to the
death-gripped combatants. For a
moment she paused over them, watch
full, hesitant, feline, the flame of her
eyes matching the hard glitter of the
poised blade. Even in the bitter
anguish of that despairing moment,
Thorold smiled to think that after
hfty manful fights, his death should
be borne to him in the hands of a
woman. With a mighty effort he
struggled to free an arm to shield
his heart, but in that same moment
the woman lunged downward with
sharp, exultant cry, and he felt the
warm blood flowing over his breast.
For an instant she leaned over him.
her lips parted in gleeful laugh of
triumph and then setting hard in
cruel smile, as she struck again. vet
more savagely.
With measureless amazement.
Thorold felt the grip of his enemy re-
lax and the body grow limp within
his arms. Yet only when, struggling
dizzily 70 his feet, he saw the light in
the womans eyes, did he compre-
hend, and comprehending know for
his the ultimate wonder of the
wor1d.-San Francisco Argonaut.
Building Note in 1928.
- In order to cnmnleta the l1fth