his headstone; the
parents following them.

The other incident in their life that must be recalled is the visit of
Endrid and Randi as grandparents. Hans had carried out his
determination that they were to live at Haugen, although he had to
promise that he would take Tingvold when the old people either could
or would no longer manage it, and when the old grandmother was dead.
But in their whole visit there is only one single thing that concerns
us here, and that is that Randi, after a kind reception and good
entertainment, when she was sitting with her daughter's child on her
knee, began rocking it and crooning something--and what she crooned
was the Bridal March. Her daughter clasped her hands in wonder and
delight, but controlled herself at once and kept silence; Hans offered
Endrid more to drink, which he declined; but this was on both sides
only an excuse for exchanging a look.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The old superstition that every man is followed by a
"Vardoeger" (an invisible animal, resembling him in character) is still
common among the peasants.]

ONE DAY

CHAPTER I

Ella was generally known as the girl with the plait. But, thick as the
plait was, if it had belonged to any one less shapely, less blonde,
less sprightly, hardly any one would have noticed it; the merry life
which it led behind her would have passed unobserved, and that,
although it was the thickest plait which any one in the little town
had ever boasted. Perhaps it looked even thicker than it really was,
because Ella herself was little. It is not necessary to give its exact
length, but it reached below her waist; a long way below it. Its
colour was doubtful but inclined a little to red, though people in the
town generally called it light, and we will accept their dictum
without going into the question of half-tones. Her face was noticeable
for its white skin, pretty shape, and classic profile; she had a
small, full mouth, and eyes of unusual frankness, a trim little
figure, but with rather short legs, so that in order to get over the
ground as fast as it was her nature to do, her feet had to move very
quickly. She was quick, indeed, in everything which she undertook, and
that no doubt was why the plait was busier than plaits are wont to be.

Her mother was the widow of a government official, had a small fortune
besides her pension, and lived in her own little house opposite the
hotel close by the market. She was an unassuming w