don't lose heart.
Somewhere or other, somewhere or other--that's the way of it." Then
he laughed louder than ever, and every hollow note of his voice went
through Greeba like a knife. But in the empty chamber of his heart he
was crying in his despair, "My God! how she loves him! How she loves
him!"

III.

Half-an-hour later, when the winter's day was done, and the candles
had been lighted, Greeba went in to the priest, where he sat in his
room alone, to say that a stranger was asking to see him.

"Bring the stranger in," said the priest, putting down his spectacles
on his open book, and then Jason entered.

"Sir Sigfus," said Jason, "your good name has been known to me ever
since the days when my poor mother mentioned it with gratitude and
tears."

"Your mother?" said the priest; "who was she?"

"Rachel Jorgen's daughter, wife of Stephen Orry."

"Then you must be Jason."

"Yes, your reverence."

"My lad, my good lad," cried the priest, and with a look of joy he
rose and laid hold of both Jason's hands. "I have heard of you. I
hear of you every day, for your brother is with me. Come, let us go
to him. Let us go to him. Come!"

"Wait," said Jason. "First let me deliver you a message concerning
him."

The old priest's radiant face fell instantly to a deep sadness. "A
message?" he said. "You have never come from Jorgen Jorgensen?"

"No."

"From whom, then?"

"My brother's wife," said Jason.

"His wife?"

"Has he never spoken of her?"

"Yes, but as one who had injured him, and bitterly and cruelly
wronged and betrayed him."

"That may be so, your reverence," said Jason, "but who can be hard on
the penitent and the dying?"

"Is she dying?" said the priest.

Jason dropped his head. "She sends for his forgiveness," he said.
"She cannot die without it."

"Poor soul, poor soul!" said the priest.

"Whatever her faults, he cannot deny her that little mercy," said
Jason.

"God forbid it!" said the priest.

"She is alone in her misery, with none to help and none to pity her,"
said Jason.

"Where is she?" said the priest.

"At Husavik," said Jason.

"But what is her message to me?"

"That you should allow her husband to come to her."

The old priest lifted his hands in helpless bewilderment, but Jason
gave him no time to speak.

"Only for a day," said Jason, quickly, "only for one day, an hour,
one little hour. Wait, your reverence, do not say no. Think, only
think! The poor woman is alo