e so unjust--and at last He vanished,
melting into the solar systems on high, and all the infinitesimal
growths here on the earth below. What was my life, what were my dreams,
my joy or sorrow, to these? Where was I making for? Ever and always
there was something in me saying: He IS! But where? Somewhere beyond and
behind the things you know--it is there He is. And so I determined
to know more things, more and more and more--and what wiser was I? A
steam-hammer crushes my skull one day--and what has become of my part in
progress and culture and science? Am I as much of an accident as a fly
on an ant? Do I mean no more? Do I vanish and leave as little trace?
Answer me that, little Merle--what do YOU think?"

The girl sat motionless, breathing softly, with closed eyes. Then she
began to smile--and her lips were full and red, and at last they shaped
themselves to a kiss.

Bruseth was a large farm lying high above the town, with its garden and
avenues and long verandahs round the white dwelling-house. And what a
view out over the lake and the country far around! The two stood for a
moment at the gate, looking back.

Merle's aunt--her father's sister--was a widow, rich and a notable
manager, but capricious to a degree, capable of being generous one day
and grasping the next. It was the sorrow of her life that she had no
children of her own, but she had not yet decided who was to be her heir.

She came sailing into the room where the two young people were waiting,
and Peer saw her coming towards them, a tall, full-bosomed woman
with grey hair and florid colour. Oho! here's an aunt for you with a
vengeance, he thought. She pulled off a blue apron she was wearing and
appeared dressed in a black woollen gown, with a gold chain about her
neck and long gold earrings.

"So you thought you'd come over at last," she said. "Actually remembered
my existence, after all, did you, Merle?" She turned towards Peer, and
stood examining him, with her hands on her hips. "So that's what you
look like, is it, Peer? And you're the man that was to catch Merle?
Well, you see I call you Peer at once, even though you HAVE come all the
way from--Arabia, is it? Sit down, sit down."

Wine was brought in, and Aunt Marit of Bruseth lifted a congratulatory
glass toward the pair with the following words:

"You'll fight, of course. But don't overdo it, that's all. And mark my
words, Peer Holm, if you aren't good to her, I'll come round one fine
day