gospel truth the same. But seeing I've none of my
own folks here, and living alone and rejected under a stranger's roof,
with all my kin over across the hills...."

But for all that, Oline stayed on. They could not get rid of her till
after they were wed, and Oline made a deal of reluctance, but said
"Yes" at last, and would stay so long to please them, and look to
house and cattle while they went down to the church. It took two days.
But when they came back wedded and all, Oline stayed on as before. She
put off going; one day she was feeling poorly, she said; the next it
looked like rain. She made up to Barbro with smooth words about the
food. Oh, there was a mighty difference in the food now at Maaneland;
'twas different living now, and a mighty difference in the coffee
now. Oh, she stopped at nothing, that Oline; asked Barbro's advice on
things she knew better herself. "What you think now, should I milk
cows as they stand in their place and order, or should I take cow
Bordelin first?"

"You can do as you please."

"Ay, 'tis as I always said," exclaims Oline. "You've been out in the
world and lived among great folks and fine folks, and learned all and
everything. 'Tis different with the likes of me."

Ay, Oline stopped at nothing, she was intriguing all day long. Sitting
there telling Barbro how she herself was friends and on the best of
terms with Barbro's father, with Brede Olsen! Ho, many a pleasant hour
they'd had together, and a kindly man and rich and grand to boot was
Brede, and never a hard word in his mouth.

But this could not go on for ever; neither Axel nor Barbro cared to
have Oline there any longer, and Barbro had taken over all her work.
Oline made no complaint, but she flashed dangerous glances at her
young mistress and changed her tone ever so little.

"Ay, great folk, 'tis true. Axel, he was in town a while last
harvest-time--you didn't meet him there, maybe? Nay, that's true, you
were in Bergen that time. But he went into town, he did; 'twas all
to buy a mowing-machine and a harrow-machine. And what's folk at
Sellanraa now beside you here? Nothing to compare!"

She was beginning to shoot out little pinpricks, but even that did not
help her now; neither of them feared her. Axel told her straight out
one day that she must go.

"Go?" says Oline. "And how? Crawling, belike?" No, she would not go,
saying by way of excuse that she was poorly, and could not move her
legs. And to make things bad