so unexpectedly given way in Margrete's presence was quite gone. Now
she had the strength to carry out her purpose.

As if it were to be put to the test at once, something shadowy appeared
at her side. It rose unexpectedly out of the darkness, so alarmingly
near that she set off running. To her horror she seemed to hear through
the roar of the storm that she was being pursued! Then she took courage
and stood still. Whatever was following her stopped too. Mary moved on;
it also moved on. "This will never do," thought she. "If I am not brave
enough to face this, I am not brave enough to face what comes next." She
thereupon turned and went straight up to the pursuing monster, which
whinnied good-naturedly. It was a young horse, seeking in its
desolateness the neighbourhood of a human being. She patted it and spoke
to it. It was a messenger from life--the desolate was comforting the
despairing. But, as the animal continued to follow her, she took it in
to the next farm. She must be alone. The people at the farm were much
astonished. They could not understand any one being out in such weather,
least of all a woman! Mary hurried away from the light and out into the
darkness again.

The little occurrence had strengthened her. She knew now that she had
courage, and walked on quickly.

She was nearing the first headland round the face of which the road was
cut. It either really was the case, or it seemed to her, that the
hurricane was increasing. It must surely soon have reached its worst. To
her it represented her own misery and shame. This thought strengthened
her. It was not death she feared, but life.

She thought it all out again as she pressed on. She would not save
herself by allowing her child to be killed, nor would she send it away
to strangers and thus disown it; she could not live without
self-respect.

If a suitor were to come--and doubtless as many would come now as in
days past--should she begin by confessing? Or should she maintain a
dishonourable silence? There was only one thing she could do with
honour--die with her child. She felt incapable of anything else. But no
one must have any suspicions. She must die of an illness; therefore an
illness must be ensured that would end in death.

This much she owed to herself; for she was as certain to-day as on the
evening when she went into Joergen's room that her action was not one for
which she deserved to be disgraced.

It had been a terrible mistake, that wa