tly."

There was an earnest ring in his voice, a note almost of pain, and
the men ceased to smile. Olof turned in surprise, and looked at the
speaker--some of the others were making signs behind the old man's
back.

"I know one man at least," he went on, "that loved a girl when he was
young, and couldn't marry her. He didn't go off and kill himself--but
it marked him, none the less, for all he was only a peasant himself.
Sold his place, he did, and drank away the money, and wandered about
the rest of his life to this day--and never forgotten her."

The old man was silent.

"Ay, 'tis plain to see she's in his mind now that he's old and grey,"
said one who had pointed to the speaker before.

The old man bowed his head, and pulled his cap down over his eyes;
but they could see a quiver in his face, and the brass-bound pipe-stem
trembled in his hand.

The men exchanged glances; none seemed wishful to speak.

"Ay, 'tis no light thing to play with," said one at last. "And each
knows best what he's learned for himself."

Again a sighing of the trees on the hillside, and a mournful sound
from the straining stems. The coming dawn threw a grey light on the
rocky face of Neitokallio; far over the meadows a bird was calling.

"Getting light--'tis time we were about," said Olof, rising to his
feet.

The men stared at him in wonder; his voice was strange and hard as
that of the old man who had spoken before.

"Up with you--come!" said Olof, with sudden impatience. And, turning
abruptly, he strode down to the shore.

The men stared after him, then, rising, covered their fire, and
followed down to the river.

HAWTHORN

No! I must live while I am young; breathe freely while I can! But you,
Hawthorn--do you know what life is?"

"Yes," the girl answered fervently; "it is love!"

"It is something else besides. Youth and spring and courage--and fate,
that brings the children of men together."

"Yes...? I wonder why I never thought of that myself."

"What does it matter what we think? We drift along, knowing nothing of
one another, like the errant winds or the stars in the skies. We pass
by hundreds, without so much as a glance, until fate as in a lightning
flash brings us face to face with the one appointed. And then--in a
moment we know that we belong to each other, we are drawn together by
magnetic force--for good or ill."

"I have felt the same--and I feel it more keenly now than ever,"
answered the girl