orphan children; and Hund heard of it, and started off into
the woods. By putting things together--what Hund had dropped in his
agony of mind, and what had been seen and heard on the road, the whole
was made out, and the country rose to find Hund. He was hunted like a
bear in the forest and on the mountain; but he had got to the coast in
time, and was taken in a boat, it is thought, to Hammerfest. At any
rate, he came here as from the north, and wishes to pass for a northern
man."

"And does Erlingsen know all this?"

"Yes. The same person who told me told him. Erlingsen thinks he must
meet with mercy, for that none need mercy so much as the weak; and
Hund's act was an act of weakness."

"Weakness!" cried Erica, with disgust.

"He is a coward, my dear; and death stared him in the face."

"I have often wondered," said Erica, "where on the face of the earth
that wretch was wandering: and it is Hund! And he wanted to live in
this very house," she continued, looking round the room.

"And to marry you, dear. Erlingsen would never have allowed that. But
the thought has plunged the poor fellow deeper, instead of saving him,
as he hoped. He now has envy and jealousy at his heart, besides the
remorse which he will carry to his grave."

"And revenge!" said Erica, shuddering. "I tell you he leaped for joy
that Nipen was offended. Here is some one coming," she exclaimed,
starting from her seat, as a shadow flitted over the thick window-pane,
and a hasty knock was heard at the door.

"You are a coward, if ever there was one," said Ulla, smiling. "Hund
never comes here, so you need not look so frightened. What is to be
done if you look so at dinner, or the next time you meet him? It will
be the ruin of some of us. Go,--open the door, and do not keep the
pastor waiting."

There was another knock before Erica could reach the door, and Frolich
burst in.

"Such news!" she cried; "you never heard such news."

"I wish there never was any news," exclaimed Erica, almost pettishly.

"Good or bad?" inquired Ulla.

"O, bad,--very bad," declared Frolich, who yet looked as if she would
rather have it than none. "Here is company. Olaf, the drug-merchant,
is come. Father did not expect him these three weeks."

"This is not bad news, but good," said Ulla. "Who knows but he may
bring me a cure?"

"We will all beg him to cure you, dear Ulla," said Frolich, stroking the
old woman's white hair smooth upon her foreh