uch a blissful sense of
ever growing peace and serenity! And when he had passed by, there
was no longer any fear or resentment in her thought. All that was
not good had vanished like a sickness of which one has been healed.

Gertrude stood rapt for a long while. The vision faded away, but
she was still held by the beauty of it, and the impression of what
she had seen stayed with her. Clasping her hands she raised them in
ecstasy.

"I have seen the Christ!" she cried out with joy. "I have seen the
Christ! He has freed me from my sorrow, and I love Him. Now I can
never again love anyone else in the world."

The trials of life had suddenly dwindled into mere nothings, and
life's long years appeared as but a moment in the Glass of Time,
while earthly joys seemed trivial and shallow and meaningless. All
at once it became clear to Gertrude how she was to order her life;
so that she might never again sink down into the darkness of fear,
nor be tempted into doing anything mean or hateful, she would go
with the Hellgumists to Jerusalem. This thought had come to her
when the Christ passed by. She felt that it had come from Him; she
had read it in His eyes.

***

On the beautiful June day when the daughter of Berger Sven Persson
was given in marriage to Ingmar Ingmarsson, a tall, slender young
woman stopped at the Ingmar Farm early in the morning, and asked if
she might speak to the bridegroom. She wore her kerchief so far
down over her face that nothing could be seen of it save a creamy
cheek and a pair of rosy lips. On her arm was a basket that held
little bundles of handmade trimmings, a few hair chains, and hair
bracelets.

She gave her message to an old maidservant, whom she met in the
yard, and who went in and told the housewife. The housewife
answered sharply:

"Go straight back and tell her that Ingmar Ingmarsson is just going
to drive to church; he has no time to talk with her."

As soon as the young woman received this curt dismissal, she went
her way. When the bridal party had returned from the church, she
came back, and again asked if she might speak to Ingmar Ingmarsson.
This time she approached one of the menservants who was hanging
round the stable door; he went in and told the master.

"Tell her that Ingmar Ingmarsson is about to sit down to the
wedding feast," said the master. "He has no time to talk to her."

On receiving this answer, she sighed and went her way. When she
came again it was late in