is pockets,
whistling.

"But what is it, Peer?"

"Why, you see, I was standing there chopping wood. And all the time
swarms of mowing machines--nine million of them--were going in my head,
all with the grass sticking fast to the shears and clogging them up. I
was in a cold sweat--I felt myself going straight to hell--and then,
in a flash--a flash of steel--it came to me. It means salvation for us,
Merle, salvation."

"Oh, do talk so that I can understand a little of what you're saying."

"Why, don't you see--all that's wanted is a small movable steel brush
above the shears, to flick away the grass and keep them clear. Hang it
all, a child could see it. By Jove, little woman, it'll soon be changed
times with us now."

Merle laid her work down in her lap and let her hands fall. If this were
true!

"I'll have the machine up here, Merle. Making the brushes and fixing
them on will be no trouble at all--I can do it in a day in the smithy
here."

"What--you had better try! You're just beginning to get a little better,
and you want to spoil it all again!"

"I shall never get well, Merle, as long as I have that infernal machine
in my head balancing between world-success and fiasco. It presses on my
brain like a leaden weight, I shall never have a decent night's sleep
till I get rid of it. Oh, my great God--if times were to change some
day--even for us! Well! Do you think I wouldn't get well when that day
came!"

This time she let him take her in his arms. But when he had gone, she
sat still, watching the sun sink behind the snow-ranges, till her eyes
grew dim and her breath came heavily.

A week later, when the sun was flaming on the white roofs, the grey pony
dragged a huge packing-case up to Raastad. And the same day a noise of
hammer and file at work was heard in the smithy.

What do a few sleepless nights matter now? And they are sleepless not so
much from anxiety--for this time things go well--as because of dreams.
And both of them dream. They have bought back Loreng, and they wander
about through the great light rooms once more, and all is peace and
happiness. All the evil days before are as a nightmare that is past.
Once more they will be young, go out on ski together, and dine together
after, and drink champagne, and look at each other with love in their
eyes. Once more--and many times again.

"Good-night, Merle."

"Good-night, Peer, and sleep well."

Day after day the hammering went on in the smithy.