ter Fae. Yes, indeed, I will!"

"It is too wet to move furniture."

"The rain will be over at the noon. Until then thy men can carry peats
and groceries, and such store of dried meats as will be necessary."

"Peter," said Suneva indignantly, "I counsel thee to do nothing in a
hurry."

Dr. Balloch answered her, "I counsel thee, Mistress Fae, to keep well
the door of thy mouth. It is no light thing to make the charges thou
hast made against an innocent woman."

"I asked her how Jan Vedder got his death? Let her tell that."

"I might ask thee how Paul Glumm got his death! Listen now, and I will
show thee what a great thing may come from one foul suspicion. Thou
married Paul Glumm, and it is well known he and thee were not always
in the same mind, for thou loved company and he loved quiet. Then
Glumm took thee to the Skoolfiord, where there were none at the
station but thee and he. Thou knowest how thou rebelled at that, and
how often thou could be found in thy father's house. Suddenly Glumm
takes a sickness, and when a doctor sees him there is little hope, and
after three days he dies. Then thou art back at Lerwick again, quick
enough, and in a few weeks thou hast plenty of lovers. Now, then, how
easy to say, 'Glumm's death was a very strange affair!' 'Such a strong
young man!' 'Did his wife know any thing about it?' 'Did she send for
a doctor as soon as might be?' 'Did she give him the medicine the
doctor left?' 'Was she not very glad when she was free again?'
Mistress Fae, I say not these things were so, or were even said, I am
only trying to show thee how easy it is out of nothing at all to make
up a very suspicious case. But come, Peter, there is duty to be done,
and I know that thou wilt do it. And I am in haste about it, for it is
not easy for Hamish to have a woman and child at the manse. Hamish has
failed much lately."

"Send the woman with her child here."

"No, for it is easier to avoid quarrels than to mend them. Margaret
shall stay at the manse till her own house is ready."

So they went away together, leaving Suneva crying with anger; partly
because of the minister's lecture; partly because she thought Peter
had not "stood up for her" as he ought to have done. As for Peter,
though he did not think of disobeying the order given him, yet he
resented the interference; and he was intensely angry at Margaret for
having caused it. When he arrived at the store, he was made more so by
Snorro's attitude. He