had no rival to compete with--now, it was different.

"Here's a new paper for you," he said. "And here's a bit of a thing I
got you. Don't know if you'll care about it."

Barbro was cold. They were sitting there together, drinking scalding
hot coffee from the bowl, but for all that she answered icy cold:

"I suppose that's the gold ring you've been promising me this
twelvemonth and more."

This, however, was beyond the mark, for it _was_ the ring after all.
But a gold ring it was not, and that he had never promised her--'twas
an invention of her own; silver it was, with gilt hands clasped, real
silver, with the mark on and all. But ah, that unlucky voyage of hers
to Bergen! Barbro had seen real engagement rings--no use telling her!

"That ring! Huh! You can keep it yourself."

"What's wrong with it, then?"

"Wrong with it? There's nothing wrong with it that I know," she
answered, and got up to clear the table.

"Why, you'll needs make do with it for now," he said. "Maybe I'll
manage another some day."

Barbro made no answer.

A thankless creature was Barbro this evening. A new silver ring--she
might at least have thanked him nicely for it. It must be that clerk
with the town ways that had turned her head. Axel could not help
saying: "I'd like to know what that fellow Eleseus keeps coming here
for, anyway. What does he want with you?"

"With me?"

"Ay. Is he such a greenhorn and can't see how 'tis with you now?
Hasn't he eyes in his head?"

Barbro turned on him straight at that: "Oh, so you think you've got
a hold on me because of _that_? You'll find out you're wrong, that's
all."

"Ho!" said Axel.

"Ay, and I'll not stay here, neither."

But Axel only smiled a little at this; not broadly and laughing in
her face, no; for he did not mean to cross her. And then he spoke
soothingly, as to a child: "Be a good girl now, Barbro. 'Tis you and
me, you know."

And of course in the end Barbro gave in and was good, and even went to
sleep with the silver ring on her finger.

It would all come right in time, never fear.

For the two in the hut, yes. But what about Eleseus? 'Twas worse with
him; he found it hard to get over the shameful way Barbro had treated
him. He knew nothing of hysterics, and took it as all pure cruelty on
her part; that girl Barbro from Breidablik thought a deal too much of
herself, even though she _had_ been in Bergen....

He sent her back the photograph in a way of his own--took it