eless arguments."

"Yes," Karin spoke up, "we'd better take the highest bid."

But the parson was not so easily beaten! When it came to a question
of handling a worldly matter he always knew just what to say. Now
he was the man, and not the preacher.

"I'm sure that Karin and Halvor care enough about this old farm to
want to sell to some person who would keep up the property, even if
they have to take a couple of thousand kroner less," he said.

Then he proceeded to tell--for Karin's special benefit--of various
farms that had gone to waste after falling into the hands of
corporations.

Once or twice Karin glanced up at the pastor. He wondered whether
he had finally succeeded in making some impression upon her. "There
must surely be a little of the pride of the old peasant matron
still left in her," he thought as he went on telling of tumbledown
farmhouses and underfed cattle.

He finally ended with these words: "I know perfectly well that if
the corporation is fully determined to buy the Ingmar Farm, it can
go on bidding against the farmers until they are forced to give up;
but if Karin and Halvor want to prevent this old place from
becoming a ruined corporation property, they will have to settle on
a price, so that the farmers may know what to be guided by."

When the pastor made that proposition, Halvor, uneasy, glanced over
at Karin, who slowly raised her eyelids.

"Certainly Halvor and I would rather sell the place to some one of
our own kind. Then we could go away from here knowing that
everything would continue in the old way."

"If some person outside the Company wants to give forty thousand
for the property, we will be satisfied to accept that sum for it,"
said Halvor, knowing at last what his wife's wishes were.

When that was said, Strong Ingmar walked over to Sven Persson and
whispered to him.

Judge Persson immediately arose and went up to Halvor. "Since you
say you are willing to take forty thousand kroner for the farm,
I'll buy it at that figure," he said.

Halvor's face began to twitch, and a lump seemed to rise in his
throat; he had to swallow before he could speak. "Thank you,
judge," he finally stammered. "I'm glad that I can leave the farm
in such good hands!"

Judge Persson then shook hands with Karin, who was so moved that
she could hardly keep back the tears.

"You may be sure, Karin, that everything here will be as of old,"
he said.

"Are you going to live at the farm yourself