he dale. Susanna looked around for Harald with uneasiness, but he
was nowhere to be found, and she thought upon the story of
Aasgaardsreija. In her distress she called upon his name, and had great
joy in hearing his voice reply to her.

She perceived him at a little distance from her, slowly raising himself
near an angular wall of rock. He was pale, and seemed to feel pain.
Busied about Susanna's safety, Harald had assumed too late the humble
posture into which he had compelled Susanna, and had been caught by the
whirlwind, and slung violently against the corner of a rock, whereby he
had sustained a severe blow upon the left collar-bone and shoulder. He,
however, assured Susanna, who was now anxious about him, that it was of
no consequence; it would soon be better, he added jestingly.

"But was I not right in saying that Aasgaardsreija is not to be played
with? And we have not yet done with it. In a few moments it will be upon
us again; and as soon as we hear it roaring and whistling in the
mountains, it is best that we humble ourselves. It may otherwise fare
ill with us."

Scarcely had Harald uttered these words before the signals were heard
from the mountains, and the tempest arose with the same violence as
before, and passed over as quickly too. In a few moments all was again
still.

"We have now again a few moments' breathing time," said Harald, rising
up, and looking inquiringly around him; "but the best is, that we now
endeavour to find a shelter over head, so that we may be defended from
the shower of stones. There shoots out a wall of rock. Thither will we
hasten before the tempest comes again. If I am not mistaken, other
wanderers have thought as we."

And, in truth, two persons had before them sought shelter under the
rocky projection, and Harald soon recognised them. The elder of them was
the guide whom Harald had sent for to conduct them over the mountain
road--a handsome old man in the Halling costume; the younger was his
grandson, a brisk youth of sixteen, who was to accompany him. On their
way to Semb, they had been overtaken by the tempest.

It was perhaps welcome to both Harald and Susanna, that in this moment
of mutual constraint, they were prevented by the presence of these
persons from being alone together. From their place of refuge they had
an extensive prospect over the dale, and their attention was directed to
that which had occurred there. They saw that the cottages had ceased to
smoke; a