id the word "mother" with a certain
reverence as if it swept away all objections. "Good-by, dear, _dear_
Granny!" She kissed the old woman's cheek and hurried off with her
bundle.

As soon as the door had closed on her Maren began crying, and
calling for her; in a monotonous undertone she poured out all her
troubles, sorrow and want and longing for death. She had had so many
heavy burdens and had barely finished with one when another
appeared. Her hardships had cut deeply--most of them; and it did her
good to live through them again and again. She went on for some
time, and would have gone on still longer had she not suddenly felt
two arms round her neck and a wet cheek against her own. It was the
mischievous child, who had returned, saying that after all she was
not leaving her.

Ditte had gone some distance, as far as the baker's, who wondered
where she was going with the big parcel and stopped her. Her
explanation, that she was going home to her parents, they refused to
believe; her father had said nothing about it when the baker had
met him at the market the day before, indeed he had sent his love to
them. Ditte stood perplexed on hearing all this. A sudden doubt
flashed through her mind; she turned round with a jerk--quick as she
was in all her movements--and set off home for the hut on the Naze.
How it had all happened she did not bother to think, such was her
relief at being allowed to return to Granny.

Granny laughed and cried at the same time, asked questions and could
make no sense of it.

"Aren't you going at all, then?" she broke out, thanking God, and
hardly able to believe it.

"Of course I'm not going. Haven't I just told you, the baker said I
wasn't to."

"Ay, the baker, the baker--what's he got to do with it? You'd got
the message to go."

Ditte was busily poking her nose into Granny's cheek.

Maren lifted her head: "Hadn't you, child? Answer me!"

"I don't know, Granny," said Ditte, hiding her face against her.

Granny held her at an arm's length: "Then you've been playing
tricks, you bad girl! Shame on you, to treat my poor old heart like
this." Maren began sobbing again and could not stop; it had all come
so unexpectedly. If only one could get to the bottom of it; but the
child had declared that she had not told a lie. She was quite
certain of having had the message, and was grieved at Granny not
believing her. She never told an untruth when it came to the point,
so after all must hav