was a man of peace, a worker.

Chapter III

That winter, Axel was left to himself again at Maaneland. Barbro was
gone. Ay, that was the end of it.

Her journey to town would not take long, she said; 'twas not like
going to Bergen; but she wasn't going to stay on here losing one tooth
after another, till she'd a mouth like a calf. "What'll it cost?" said
Axel.

"How do I know?" said she. "But, anyway, it won't cost you anything.
I'll earn the money myself."

She had explained, too, why it was best for her to go just then; there
were but two cows to milk, and in the spring there would be two more,
besides all the goats with kids, and the busy season, and work enough
right on till June.

"Do as you please," said Axel.

It was not going to cost him anything, not at all. But she must have
some money to start with, just a little; there was the journey, and
the dentist to pay, and besides, she must have one of the new cloaks
and some other little things. But, of course, if he didn't care to....

"You've had money enough up to now," said he.

"H'm," said she. "Anyway, it's all gone."

"Haven't you put by anything?"

"Put by anything? You can look in my box it you like. I never put by
anything in Bergen, and. I got more wages then."

"I've no money to give you," said he.

He had but little faith in her ever coming back at all, and she had
plagued him so much with her humours this way and that; he had grown
indifferent at last. And though he gave her money in the end, it was
nothing to speak of; but he took no notice when she packed away
an enormous hoard of food to take with her, and he drove her down
himself, with her box, to the village to meet the steamer.

And that was done.

He could have managed alone on the place, he had learned to do so
before, but it was awkward with the cattle; if ever he had to leave
home, there was none to look to them. The storekeeper in the village
had urged him to get Oline to come for the winter, she had been at
Sellanraa for years before; she was old now, of course, but fit and
able to work. And Axel did send for Oline, but she had not come, and
sent no word.

Meantime, he worked in the forest, threshed out his little crop of
corn, and tended his cattle. It was a quiet and lonely life. Now and
again Sivert from Sellanraa would drive past on his way to and from
the village, taking down loads of wood, or hides, or farm produce, but
rarely bringing anything up home; th