ector was at a loss for an answer. With Karin there he did
not wish to say anything that might give offence.

"He is thinking of a hound that raises a hare and allows some one
else to catch it," remarked the innkeeper's son, insinuatingly.

Karin turned blood red, but refilled the coffee cups. "Berger Sven
Persson and the rest of you will have to be satisfied with plain
coffee," she said. "We no longer serve spirits to any one on this
farm."

"Nor do I at my home," said the magistrate approvingly.

The inspector and the innkeeper's son kept quiet; they understood
that Sven Persson had scored heavily.

The magistrate straightway began to discourse on temperance and its
salutary effects. Karin listened to him with interest, and agreed
with all that he said. Seeing that this was the kind of talk that
would appeal to her, the magistrate began to spread himself, and
delivered long-winded harangue on the curse of liquor and
drunkenness. Karin recognized all her own thoughts on the subject,
and was glad to find that they were shared by so intelligent a man
as the magistrate.

In the middle of his monologue Berger Sven Persson glanced over at
Halvor, who sat at the table, looking glum and sulky, his coffee
cup untouched.

"It's pretty rough on him," thought Berger Sven Persson,
"particularly if there's any truth in what people say about his
having given Elof a little lift on his way into the next world.
Anyway, he did Karin a good service by relieving her of that
dreadful sot." And since the magistrate seemed to think that he had
as good as won the game, he felt rather friendly toward Halvor.
Raising his cup, he said: "Here's to you, Halvor! You certainly
did Karin a good turn when you took her drunken sot of a husband
off her hands."

Halvor did not respond to the toast. He sat looking the man
straight in the eyes, and wondered how he should take this.

The inspector again burst out laughing. "Yes, yes, a good turn," he
haw-hawed, "a real good turn."

"Yes, yes, a real good turn," echoed the innkeeper's son, with a
chuckle.

Before they were done laughing, Karin had vanished like a shadow
through the kitchen door; but she could hear from the kitchen all
that was said inside. She was both sorry and distressed over
Halvor's untimely visit. It would probably result in her never
being able to marry Halvor. It was plain that the gossips were
already spreading evil reports. "I can't bear the thought of
losing him,"