Árdís - 01.01.1966, Side 52

50
ÁRDÍ.S
There was only one chance. The horses if given their heads
might find the way home. So with a heavy heart he prayed as he
had seldom prayed before. He kncw that no storm is so thick and
impenetrable that a fervent prayer does not find its way to the
throne of God, who always watches over those who earnestly seek
His help. So Arni, strangely confident, sat back allowing the horses
to go on and on, out of nowhere into nov/here, for what seemed
liours. Trig seemed to sense the danger and showed his concern
íor his master by laying his head in Arni’s lap and by licking his
coat sleeve. He would bark and whine alternately as if to cheer
him.
In the cabin the girls just stared at each other. Then out at
the wall beyond the window and then at each other again.
“How is he going to find his way home on the prairie now?
Oh, Veiga. I am afraid.”
“No good being afraid. Let’s try to think of something that we
can do that would help.”
“Let’s open the door and shout.”
“I don’t believe that would help because the air is so thick
and heavy that our voices would not carry any distance. We could
light a lamp and put it in the window. If there is a rift in the
storm the light can be seen farther than our voices could carry.”
Time dragged on. The endless heavy stillness was almost un-
bearable. Beta got fidgety. She jumped up saying: “I am going
get the “Passion Hymns” and read some of the lovely things Hall-
grimur Pjetursson says for those who are troubled and how
Christians should meet trouble. I want to find some of his prayers
They are so much better than anything we could think of and we
would like to say such beautiful prayers now, wouldn’t we?”
“That we certainly do, but nothing very beautiful comes to
my mind either. All I can think of is ‘Please send Arni home’, and
that keeps repeating itself in my mind over and over again.”
Beta found many beautiful verses and read them in a half
whisper as this awful silence seemed almost maddening and her
voice would not rise. She laid the book aside and they both got
up and looked out of the window. Veiga then went back to her
sewing and worked it for a while. Beta took the book again and