ember what life used to be?
Can't you remember that old delight? I've never forgotten it, or
known its like, on land or sea."

He drew the horse under the shadow of the straw stack. Clara felt
him take her foot out of the stirrup, and she slid softly down into
his arms. He kissed her slowly. He was a deliberate man, but his
nerves were steel when he wanted anything. Something flashed out
from him like a knife out of a sheath. Clara felt everything
slipping away from her; she was flooded by the summer night. He
thrust his hand into his pocket, and then held it out at arm's
length. "Look," he said. The shadow of the straw stack fell sharp
across his wrist, and in the palm of his hand she saw a silver
dollar shining. "That's my pile," he muttered; "will you go with
me?"

Clara nodded, and dropped her forehead on his shoulder.

Nils took a deep breath. "Will you go with me to-night?"

"Where?" she whispered softly.

"To town, to catch the midnight flyer."

Clara lifted her head and pulled herself together. "Are you crazy,
Nils? We couldn't go away like that."

"That's the only way we ever will go. You can't sit on the bank and
think about it. You have to plunge. That's the way I've always done,
and it's the right way for people like you and me. There's nothing
so dangerous as sitting still. You've only got one life, one youth,
and you can let it slip through your fingers if you want to; nothing
easier. Most people do that. You'd be better off tramping the roads
with me than you are here." Nils held back her head and looked into
her eyes. "But I'm not that kind of a tramp, Clara. You won't have
to take in sewing. I'm with a Norwegian shipping line; came over on
business with the New York offices, but now I'm going straight back
to Bergen. I expect I've got as much money as the Ericsons. Father
sent me a little to get started. They never knew about that. There,
I hadn't meant to tell you; I wanted you to come on your own nerve."

Clara looked off across the fields. "It isn't that, Nils, but
something seems to hold me. I'm afraid to pull against it. It comes
out of the ground, I think."

"I know all about that. One has to tear loose. You're not needed
here. Your father will understand; he's made like us. As for Olaf,
Johanna will take better care of him than ever you could. It's now
or never, Clara Vavrika. My bag's at the station; I smuggled it
there yesterday."

Clara clung to him and hid her face against his s