s.

After that the people went out of the churchyard, and Lisbeth and Jacob
climbed into Kjersti Hoel's broad wagon again and drove away,--only
this time they drove much faster. It looked as if the boards in the
fences ran after each other in an opposite direction from the one in
which she and Jacob were going. They both tried to count them, but
could not.

All the people came back with them to Peerout Castle,--Kjersti Hoel,
too. Kari Svehaugen, who had not gone to the church, had covered the
table with a white tablecloth, and set it with plates and good things
to eat. And all the people ate and talked,--but they did not talk very
loudly.

When the meal was over, Lisbeth got Jacob to go out into the cow house
to look at Crookhorn. Jacob conceded that the goat was an extremely
fine animal, but she was a vixen, he was sure,--he could tell that by
her eyelids.

Then they went over to the hill to look at the mill wheel that Jacob
used to have there; but it had fallen into complete decay because he
had been away from home so long. Such things need a boy's personal
attention.

After that they were called into the house again and everybody drank
coffee. When they had finished the coffee drinking, Kari began packing
into baskets the food that was left; and when that was done, Kjersti
Hoel said: "Well, now we have done everything that we can here. You may
bring Crookhorn with you, Lisbeth, and come to live with me. That was
the last thing I promised your mother."

Thus had it come about that Lisbeth Longfrock, holding Crookhorn by a
rope, stood outside the gate at Peerout Castle with Kjersti Hoel and
Bearhunter; and then it was that she looked behind her and began to
cry.

On one road she saw Kari Svehaugen with a big basket on her arm and
Bliros following her; and on the other she saw the back of Jacob, with
whom she had just shaken hands, saying, "May you fare well." He looked
singularly small and forlorn.

Last of all she saw Lars Svehaugen put a pine twig in the door latch as
a sign that Peerout Castle was now closed, locked, and forsaken.

CHAPTER IV

SPRING: LETTING THE ANIMALS OUT TO PASTURE

One morning, a few weeks after the sad departure from Peerout Castle,
Lisbeth Longfrock awoke early in the small sleeping room built under
the great staircase at Hoel. She opened her eyes wide at the moment of
waking, and tried to gather her thoughts together. She was conscious of
a delightful, quivering expec