ock to care for
he had had at first. Let her come--he did not care! But Barbro--it
might be she had some inkling of what he was at; anyway, she did not
come, and Axel had to wrap up the body himself as best he could and
move it to the new grave. He laid down the turf again on top, just as
before, hiding it all. When he had done, there was nothing to be seen
but a little green mound among the bushes.

He found Barbro outside the house as he came home.

"Where you been?" she asked.

The bitterness must have left him, for he only said: "Nowhere.
Where've you been?"

Oh, but the look on his face must have warned her; she said no more,
but went into the house.

He followed her.

"Look here," he said, and asked her straight out, "What d'you mean by
taking off those rings?"

Barbro, maybe, found it best to give way a little; she laughed, and
answered: "Well, you are serious today--I can't help laughing! But if
you want me to put on the rings and wear them out weekdays, why, I
will!" And she got out the rings and put them on.

But seeing him look all foolish and content at that, she grew bolder.
"Is there anything else I've done, I'd like to know?"

"I'm not complaining," answered he. "And you've only to be as you were
before, all the time before, when you first came. That's all I mean."

'Tis not so easy to be always together and always agree.

Axel went on: "When I bought that place after your father, 'twas
thinking maybe you'd like better to be there, and so we could shift.
What d'you think?"

Ho, there he gave himself away; he was afraid of losing her and being
left without help, with none to look to the place and the animals
again--she knew! "Ay, you've said that before," she answered coldly.

"Ay, so I have; but I've got no answer."

"Answer?" said she. "Oh, I'm sick of hearing it."

Axel might fairly consider he had been lenient; he had let Brede and
his family stay on at Breidablik, and for all that he had bought the
good crop with the place, he had carted home no more than a few loads
of hay, and left the potatoes to them. It was all unreasonable of
Barbro to be contrary now; but she paid no heed to that, and asked
indignantly: "So you'd have us move down to Breidablik now, and turn
out a whole family to be homeless?"

Had he heard aright? He sat for a moment staring and gaping, cleared
his throat as if to answer thoroughly, but it came to nothing; he only
asked: "Aren't they going to the village,