just as he was engaged in saddling the horse he had bought a short time
before.

"The watch is yours," said the man; "Anders has withdrawn."

The moment Baard heard this there passed through him a feeling of
compunction; he thought of his brother, and not of the watch. The
horse was saddled, but Baard paused with his hand on its back,
uncertain whether to ride away or no. Now many people came out, among
them Anders, who when he saw his brother standing beside the saddled
horse, not knowing what Baard was reflecting on, shouted out to him:--

"Thank you for the watch, Baard! You will not see it run the day your
brother treads on your heels."

"Nor the day I ride to the gard again," replied Baard, his face very
white, swinging himself into the saddle.

Neither of them ever again set foot in the house where they had lived
with their father.

A short time after, Anders married into a houseman's family; but Baard
was not invited to the wedding, nor was he even at church. The first
year of Anders' marriage the only cow he owned was found dead beyond
the north side of the house, where it was tethered, and no one could
find out what had killed it. Several misfortunes followed, and he kept
going downhill; but the worst of all was when his barn, with all that
it contained, burned down in the middle of the winter; no one knew how
the fire had originated.

"This has been done by some one who wishes me ill," said Anders,--and
he wept that night. He was now a poor man and had lost all ambition
for work.

The next evening Baard appeared in his room. Anders was in bed when he
entered, but sprang directly up.

"What do you want here?" he cried, then stood silent, staring fixedly
at his brother.

Baard waited a little before he answered,--

"I wish to offer you help, Anders; things are going badly for you."

"I am faring as you meant I should, Baard! Go, I am not sure that I
can control myself."

"You mistake, Anders; I repent"--

"Go, Baard, or God be merciful to us both!"

Baard fell back a few steps, and with quivering voice he murmured,--

"If you want the watch you shall have it."

"Go, Baard!" shrieked the other, and Baard left, not daring to linger
longer.

Now with Baard it had been as follows: As soon as he had heard of his
brother's misfortunes, his heart melted; but pride held him back. He
felt impelled to go to church, and there he made good resolves, but he
was not able to carry them out.