lf a shelter for the
winter. But Barbro put in a word herself now: "Ho, so you put the
animals first and us after? 'Tis just as well I know it!" So Axel had
made enemies of a whole family because he hadn't room to house them.
But he would not give way. He was no good-natured fool, was Axel, but
on the contrary he had grown more and more careful; he knew well that
a crowd like that moving in would give him so many more mouths to
fill. Brede bade his daughter be quiet, and tried to make out that he
himself would rather move down to the village again; couldn't endure
life in the wilderness, he said--'twas only for that reason he was
selling the place.

Oh, but to tell the truth it was not so much Brede was selling the
place; 'twas the Bank and the storekeeper were selling up Breidablik,
though for the sake of appearances they let it be done in Brede's
name. That way, he thought he was saved from disgrace. And Brede was
not altogether dejected when Isak met him; he consoled himself with
the thought that he was still Inspector on the telegraph line; that
was a regular income, anyway, and in time he would be able to work up
to his old position in the place as the Lensmand's companion and this
and that. He was something affected at the change, of course; 'twas
not so easy to say good-bye to a place where one had lived and toiled
and moiled so many years, and come to care for. But Brede, good man,
was never long cast down. 'Twas his best point, the charm of him. He
had once in his life taken it into his head to be a tiller of the
soil, 'twas an inspiration had come to him. True, he had not made a
success of it, but he had taken up other plans in the same airy way
and got on better; and who could say--perhaps his samples of ore might
after all turn out something wonderful in time! And then look at
Barbro, he had got her fixed up there at Maaneland, and she'd not be
leaving Axel Stroem now, that he could swear--'twas plain indeed for
any one to see.

No, there was nothing to fear as long as he had his health and could
work for himself and those that looked to him, said Brede Olsen. And
the children were just growing up, and big enough now to go out and
make their own way in the world, said he. Helge was gone to the
herring fisheries already, and Katrine was going to help at the
doctor's. That left only the two youngest--well, well, there was a
third on the way, true, but, anyhow ...

Isak had more news from the village: the L