ollect her thoughts for a final struggle
with the terrible question, Should she give him up or not? But she had
no strength left; she could only say over and over again: "Help me, O
God! help me!" She went on like this for a long time, sometimes saying
it in to herself, sometimes out loud. All at once she got such a
fright that she gave a loud scream. Beret was kneeling up in bed
looking at her; her sparkling eyes, hot face, and short breathing
showing a terrible state of excitement.

"Who is he?" she whispered, almost threateningly. Mildrid, crushed by
her self-torture, and worn out in soul and body, could not answer;
she began to cry.

"Who is he?" repeated the other, closer to her face; "you needn't try
to hide it any longer; I was watching you to-day the whole time!"

Mildrid held up her arms as if to defend herself, but Beret beat them
back, looked straight into her eyes, and again repeated, "Who is he, I
say?"

"Beret, Beret!" moaned Mildrid; "have I ever been anything but kind to
you since you were a little child. Why are you so cruel to me now that
I am in trouble?"

Then Beret, moved by her tears, let go her arms; but her short hard
breathing still betrayed her excitement. "Is it Hans Haugen?" she
whispered.

There was a moment of breathless suspense, and then Mildrid whispered
back: "Yes"--and began to cry again.

Beret drew down her arms once more; she wanted to see her face. "Why
did you not tell me about it, Mildrid?" she asked, with the same
fierce eagerness.

"Beret, I didn't know it myself. I never saw him till yesterday. And
as soon as I saw him I loved him, and let him see it, and that is what
is making me so unhappy, so unhappy that I feel as if I must die of
it!"

"You never saw him before yesterday?" screamed Beret, so astonished
that she could hardly believe it.

"Never in my life!" replied Mildrid. "Isn't it shameful, Beret?"

But Beret threw her arms round her sister's neck, and kissed her over
and over again.

"Dear, sweet Mildrid, I'm so glad!" she whispered, now radiant with
joy. "I'm so glad, so glad!" and she kissed her once more. "And you'll
see how I can keep a secret, Mildrid!" She hugged her to her breast,
but sat up again, and said sorrowfully: "And you thought I couldn't do
it; O Mildrid! not even when it was about you!"

And now it was Beret's turn to cry. "Why have you put me away? Why
have you taken Inga instead of me? You've made me so dreadfully
unhappy, Mildrid