al took what was left. Their
affairs could be settled by every one, and at the time of Soeren's
death there was much multiplying and subtracting in the homes round
about on Maren's behalf. But to one question there was no answer;
what had become of the two hundred crowns paid for Ditte for once
and for all? Ay, where had they gone? The two old people had bought
nothing new at that time, and Soeren had firmly refused to invest in
a new kind of fishing-net--an invention tried in other places and
said to be a great success. Indeed, there were cases where the net
had paid for itself in a single night. However, Soeren would not, and
as so much money never came twice to the hamlet in one generation,
they carried on with their old implements as usual.

The money had certainly not been used, nor had it been eaten up,
that was understood. The two old folk had lived exactly as before,
and it would have been known if the money had gone up through the
chimney. There was no other explanation, than that Maren had put it
by; probably as something for Ditte to fall back upon, when the two
old ones had gone.

There was a great deal of talking in the homes, mostly of how Maren
and Ditte were to live. But with that, their interest stopped. She
had grown-up children of her own, who were her nearest, and ought to
look after her affairs. One or two of them turned up at the funeral,
more to see if there was anything to be had, and as soon as Soeren
was well underground they left, practically vanishing without
leaving a trace, and with no invitation to Maren, who indeed hardly
found out where they lived. Well, Maren was not sorry to see the
last of them. She knew, in some measure, the object of her
children's homecoming; and for all she cared they might never tread
that way again--if only she might keep Ditte. Henceforth they were
the only two in the world.

"They might at least have given you a helping hand," said the women
of the hamlet--"after all, you're their mother."

"Nay, why so," said Maren. They had used her as a pathway to
existence--and it had not always been easy; perhaps they did not
thank her for their being here on earth, since they thought they
owed her nothing. One mother can care for eight children if
necessary, but has any one ever heard of eight children caring for
one mother? No, Maren was thankful they kept away, and did not come
poking round their old home.

She tried to sell the hut and the allotment in order to