s
way to hold her tongue. She'd a bit in reserve, a dainty morsel. Ho,
'twas a dangerous thing to talk of, but she dared it.

"There's Barbro now," says she. "And how's it with her? Not run off
and away, perhaps?"

"Ay, she has," answers Brede carelessly. "And left a place for you for
the winter by the same."

But here was a first-rate opening for Oline again; she could let it be
seen now what a personage she was; how none could manage long without
Oline--Oline, that, had to be sent for near or far. She might
have been two places, ay, three, for that matter. There was the
parsonage--they'd have been glad to have her there, too. And here was
another thing--ay, let Axel hear it too, 'twould do no harm--they'd
offered her so-and-so much for the winter, not to speak of a new pair
of shoes and a sheepskin into the bargain. But she knew what she was
doing, coming to Maaneland, coming to a man that was lordly to give
and would pay her over and above what other folk did--and so she'd
come. No, 'twas no need for Brede to trouble himself that gait--when
her Heavenly Father had watched over her all those years, and opened
this door and that before her feet, and bidden her in. Ay, and it
seemed like God Himself had known what He was doing, sending her up
to Maaneland that day, to save the life of one of His creatures on
earth....

Axel was getting wearied again by now; his legs could hardly bear him,
and seemed like giving up. Strange, he had been getting better by
degrees, able to walk, as the life and warmth came back into his body.
But now--he must lean on Brede for support! It seemed to begin when
Oline started talking about her wages; and then, when she was saving
his life again, it was worse than ever. Was he trying to lessen her
triumph once more? Heaven knows--but his mind seemed to be working
again. As they neared the house, he stopped, and said: "Looks like
I'll never get there, after all."

Brede hoists him up without a word, and carries him. So they go on
like that, Oline all venom, Axel up full length on Brede's back.

"What I was going to say," gets out Oline--"about Barbro--wasn't she
far gone with child?"

"Child?" groans Brede, under the weight. Oh, 'tis a strange
procession; but Axel lets himself be carried all the way till he's set
down at his own door.

Brede puffs and blows, mightily out of breath.

"Ay, or how--was it ever born, after all?" asks Oline.

Axel cuts in quickly with a word to Brede: