me inside to have a peep at the infant.

Had it been any one else than the mistress of Falla herself that
had invited him in, it is doubtful whether he would have gone at
all, angry as he was. Her he had to follow, of course, but he took
his own time about it. He tried to assume the air and bearing of
Eric of Falla, when the latter strode across the floor of the town
hall to deposit his vote in the ballot-box, and succeeded
remarkably well in looking quite as solemn and important.

"Please walk in," said the mistress of Falla, opening the door
for him, then stepping aside to let him go first.

One glance at the room told him that everything had been cleaned
and tidied up in there. The coffeepot, newly polished and full and
steaming, stood at the edge of the hearth, to cool; the table, over
by the window, was spread with a snow-white cover, on which were
arranged dainty flowered cups and saucers belonging to the mistress
of Falla. Katrina lay on the bed and two of the women, who had come
to lend a hand, stood pressed against the wall so that he should
have a free and unobstructed view of all the preparations. Directly
in front of the table stood the midwife, with a bundle on her arm.

Jan could not help thinking that for once in his life he appeared
to be the centre of attraction. Katrina glanced up at him
appealingly, as if wanting to ask whether he was pleased with her.
The other women, too, all turned their eyes toward him, expectantly
waiting for some word of praise from him for all the trouble they
had been to on his account.

However, it is not so easy to appear jubilant when one has been
half frozen and out of sorts all day! Jan could not clear his face
of that Eric-of-Falla expression, and stood there without saying a
word.

Then the midwife took a step forward. The hut was so tiny that that
one stride put her square in front of him, so that she could place
the child in his arms.

"Now Jan shall have a peek at the li'l' lassie She's what I'd call
a _real baby_!" said the midwife.

And there stood Jan, holding in his two hands something soft and
warm done up in a big shawl, a corner of which had been turned back
that he might see the little wrinkled face and the tiny wizzened
hands. He was wondering what the womenfolk expected him to do with
that which had been thrust upon him, when he felt a sudden shock
that shook both him and the child. It had not come from any of the
women and whether it had passed