Fru Heyerdahl seemed to be guessing his thoughts, for she said:
"I've heard you've an ox, or what?"

"Ay, so I have," said Axel.

"Are you going to keep it?"

"Ay, I'll be keeping him yet."

"I see. You've no sheep to be killed?"

"Not now I haven't. 'Tis this way, I've never had but what's to be
kept on the place."

"Oh, I see," said Fru Heyerdahl; "well, that was all." And she went on
her way.

Axel drove up homeward, but he could not help thinking somewhat of
what had passed; he rather feared he had made a false step somehow.
The Lensmand's lady had been an important witness once; for and
against him, but important anyway. He had been through an unpleasant
time on that occasion, but, after all, he had got out of it in the
end--got out of a very awkward business in connection with the body of
a child found buried on his land. Perhaps, after all, he had better
kill that sheep.

And, strangely enough, this thought was somehow connected with Barbro.
If he came down bringing sheep for her mistress it could hardly fail
to make a certain impression on Barbro herself.

But again the days went on, and nothing evil happened for their going
on. Next time he drove; down to the village he had no sheep on his
cart, no, still no sheep. But at the last moment he had taken a lamb.
A big lamb, though; not a miserable little one by any means, and he
delivered it with these words:

"'Tis rare tough meat on a wether, and no sort of a gift to bring. But
this is none so bad."

But Fru Heyerdahl would not hear of taking it as a gift. "Say what you
want for it," she said. Oh, a fine lady, 'twas not her way to take
gifts from folk! And the end of it was that Axel got a good price for
his lamb.

He saw nothing of Barbro at all. Lensmand's lady had seen him coming,
and got her out of the way. And good luck go with her--Barbro that had
cheated him out of his help for a year and a half!

Chapter IX

That spring something unexpected happened--something of importance
indeed; work at the mine was started again; Geissler had sold his
land. Inconceivable! Oh, but Geissler was an unfathomable mind; he
could make a bargain or refuse, shake his head for a "No," or nod the
same for "Yes." Could make the whole village smile again.

Conscience had pricked him, maybe; he had no longer the heart to see
the district where he had been Lensmand famishing on home-made gruel
and short of money. Or had he got his quarter of a million?