eginning to fear that he had given up
thoughts of it altogether. But this was not the case.

On a neighbouring farm lived in good circumstances another
well-descended peasant family, that had at different times
intermarried with the race of Tingvold. A girl was growing up there
whom Endrid had been fond of since she was a little child; no doubt he
had quietly set his heart on her, for only six months after her
confirmation he spoke. She was seventeen then and he thirty-one.
Randi, that was the girl's name, did not know at first what to answer;
she consulted her parents, but they said she must decide for herself.
He was a good man, and from a worldly point of view she could not make
a better match, but the difference in their ages was great, and she
must know herself if she had the courage to undertake the new duties
and cares that would come upon her as mistress of the large farm. The
girl felt that her parents would rather have her say Yes than No, but
she was really afraid. She went to his mother, whom she had always
liked, and found to her surprise that she knew nothing. But the mother
was so delighted with the idea that with all her might she urged Randi
to accept him. "I'll help you," she said. "Father will want no
allowance from the farm. He has all he needs, and he doesn't wish his
children to be longing for his death. Things will be divided at once,
and the little that we keep to live on will be divided too when we are
gone. So you see there will be no trouble with us." Yes, Randi knew
all along that Knut and Astrid were kind and nice. "And the boy," said
Astrid, "is good and thoughtful about everything." Yes, Randi had
felt that too; she was not afraid but that she would get on with
him--if she were only capable enough herself!

A few days later everything was settled. Endrid was happy, and so were
his parents; for this was a much respected family that he was marrying
into, and the girl was both nice-looking and clever; there was not a
better match for him in the district. The parents on both sides
consulted together, and settled that the wedding should be just before
harvest, as there was nothing to wait for.

The neighbourhood generally did not look on the engagement in the same
light as the parties concerned. It was said that the pretty young girl
had "sold herself." She was so young that she hardly knew what
marriage was, and the sly Knut had pushed forward his son before any
other lovers had the chance.