into the church, most of the people were already in
their pews, and the opening hymn was being sung. Walking down the
centre isle, he glanced over at the side where the women were
seated. All the pews were filled save one, and in that there was
only one person. He saw at once that it was Brita and knew, of
course, that no one had cared to sit with her. Ingmar went and sat
down beside her. Brita looked up at him in wonderment. She had not
noticed it before, but now she understood why she had the pew to
herself. Then the deep feeling of devotion, which she had but just
experienced, was dispelled by a sense of black despair. "How would
it all end?" she wondered. She should never have come with him.

Her eyes began to fill. To keep from breaking down she took up an
old prayerbook from the shelf in front of her, and opened it. She
kept turning the leaves of both gospels and epistles without being
able to see a word for the tears. Suddenly something bright caught
her eye. It was a bookmark, with a red heart, which lay between the
leaves. She took it out and slipped it toward Ingmar. She saw him
close his big hand over it and steal a glance at it. Shortly
afterward it lay upon the floor. "What is to become of us?" thought
Brita, sobbing behind the prayerbook.

As soon as the preacher had stepped down from the pulpit they went
out. Ingmar hurriedly hitched up the horse, with Brita's help. By
the time the benediction was pronounced and the congregation was
beginning to file out, Brita and Ingmar were already off. Both
seemed to be thinking the same thought: one who has committed such
a crime cannot live among people. The two fell as if they had been
doing penance by appearing at church. "Neither of us will be able
to stand it," they thought.

In the midst of her distress of mind, Brita caught a glimpse of the
Ingmar Farm, and hardly knew it again. It looked so bright and red.
She remembered having heard that the house was to be painted the
year Ingmar married. Before, the wedding had been put off because
he had felt that he could not afford to pay out any money just
then. Now she understood that he had always meant to have everything
right; but the way had been made rather hard for him.

When they arrived at the farm the folks were at dinner. "Here comes
the boss," said one of the men, looking out. Mother Martha got up
from the table, scarcely lifting her heavy eyelids. "Stay where you
are, all of you!" she commanded. "No