Page:The Dial (Volume 75).djvu/254

212 Simon Rust thought that over for a bit, giving good heed to money, as had always been his father's way. Then he called Frederikke, and said to her:

"Isn’t it true we're to have each other?"

And Frederikke answered yes, she had given him her heart.

And the stars were so bright, and Frederikke's eyes seemed overflowing with joy as she spoke.

On the way home, Marcelius repented bitterly that he had ever given Simon a boat for nothing. "But I'll see she's in a pretty state when he gets her," he said to himself, "I'll go down in her myself to fend off when she's launched."

He wandered on from house to house, entering none, just wandering on in the light of the stars and the aurora. Right out to the northern side of the island he went, where his tackle hung ready to take the new boat and lower her down to the sea. The Atlantic roared at the foot of the cliff. And he sat down.

Two small lights showed from a sailing vessel some way out at sea; farther off, two lights again, from a steamer, heavy and black, making to the eastward. And Marcelius thought to himself: may be as well to get on board a ship one day, and away from all. Frederikke was lost beyond hope; and a sorry business to be here on the island when she was gone. Well, well God in Heaven help and comfort her all her days And as for damaging Simon's boat, the Lord forgive him for that evil thought; never fear now, but he’d do his best to get her clear and safely down. Ay, that was the way

He got up and was turning to make for home, when there came a faint call, a cry, and he stopped to listen. Someone was coming towards him.

"Is it you, Frederikke?"

"Yes, I only came to say you won't do anything  harm to yourself, Marcelius?"

"I was just walking a bit," said Marcelius.

But she took his arm, and said again:

"For there's no sense in taking it so to heart. And besides, I'm not quite sure myself yet.”

"Not sure?"

"Oh, what's it to be?" she exclaimed. "He was all different just now. I can't trust him as I can you. He tries to get out of it sometimes. Only to-day he said, better wait and see."