."

But Karin was not to be moved, and ever since Halvor had been
morose and unhappy. He could not forget the injustice that had been
done him by the Ingmarssons. And here sat Halvor, and there came
Karin! What would happen next? This much was certain: a
reconciliation was out of the question. Since the previous autumn
Karin had been married to one Elof Ersson. She and her husband
lived at the Ingmar Farm, which they had been running since the
death of Big Ingmar, in the spring. Big Ingmar had left five
daughters and one son, but the son was too young to take over the
property.

Meanwhile Karin had come in. She was only about two and twenty, but
was one of those women who never look real young. Most people
thought her exceedingly plain, for she favoured her father's family
and had their heavy eyelids, their sandy hair, and hard lines about
the mouth. But the schoolmaster and his wife were pleased to think
that she bore such a striking resemblance to the old Ingmars. When
Karin saw Halvor, her face did not change. She moved about, slowly
and quietly, and greeted each of them in turn; when she offered her
hand to Halvor, he put out his, and they barely touched each other
with the tips of their fingers. Karin always stooped a little and,
as she stood before Halvor, with head bowed, she seemed to be more
bent than usual, while Halvor looked taller and straighter than
ever.

"So Karin has really ventured out to-day?" said Mother Stina,
drawing up the pastor's chair for her.

"Yes," she answered. "It's easy walking now that the frost has set
in."

"There has been a hard frost during the night," the schoolmaster
put in.

This was followed by a dead silence, which lasted several minutes.
Presently Halvor got up, and the others started, as if suddenly
awakened from a sound sleep.

"I must get back to the shop," said Halvor.

"What's your hurry?" asked Mother Stina.

"I hope Halvor isn't going on my account," said Karin meekly.

As soon as Halvor was gone the tension was broken, and the
schoolmaster knew at once what to say. He looked at the lad Karin
had brought with her, and of whom no one had taken any notice
before. He was a little chap who could not have been much older
than Gertrude. He had a fair, soft baby face, yet there was
something about him that made him appear old for his years. It was
easy to tell to what family he belonged.

"I think Karin has brought us a new pupil," said Storm.

"This is my br