be possible, she declared, unless one could live with those who
were of the same faith. Her father then asked her if all of them
were going to live on the Ingmar Farm. No, only herself; the others
had true Christians in their own homes. Now Clementsson is a pretty
good sort, as you know, and both he and his wife tried to reason
with Gunhild in all kindness, but she stood firm. At last her
father became so exasperated that he just took her and locked her
up in her room, telling her she'd have to stay there till this
crazy fit had passed."

"I thought you were going to tell me about Gertrude," Ingmar
reminded him.

"I'll get round to her by and by, if you'll only have patience. I
may as well tell you at once that early the next morning, while
Gertrude and Mother Stina were sitting in the kitchen spinning,
Mrs. Clementsson called to see them. When they saw her they became
alarmed. She, who was usually so happy and light of heart, now
looked as if she'd been crying her eyes out. 'What's the matter?
What has happened? And why do you look so forlorn?' they asked.
Then Mother Clementsson answered that when one has lost one's
dearest treasure, one can't very well look cheerful. I'd like to
give them a good beating!" said the old man.

"Who?" asked Ingmar.

"Why, Hellgum and Anna Lisa. They marched themselves down to
Clementsson's in the night and kidnapped Gunhild."

A cry of amazement escaped Ingmar.

"I'm beginning to think my Anna Lisa is married to a brigand!" said
the old man. "In the middle of the night they came and tapped on
Gunhild's window, and asked her why she wasn't at the Ingmar Farm.
She told them about her parents having locked her in. "'Twas Satan
who made 'em do it,' said Hellgum. All this her father and mother
overheard."

"Did they really?"

"Yes, they slept in the next room, and the door between was partly
open; so they heard all that Hellgum said to entice their daughter."

"But they could have sent him away."

"They felt that Gunhild should decide for herself. How could they
think she would want to leave them, after all they had done for
her? They lay there expecting her to say that she would never
desert her old parents."

"Did she go?"

"Yes, Hellgum wouldn't budge till the girl went along with them.
When Clementsson and his wife realized that she couldn't resist
Hellgum, they let her go. Some folks are like that, you see. In the
morning the mother regretted it, and begged the father