voice, as if to a
superior. "We'll have to do as you say. But do you think Koskela will
be the same with none but me to look to it all?"

"Surely it will!" said Olof warmly.

"Why, then, have it as you please. But if things begin to go wrong
here, then you'll have to take over yourself."

"I will if need be. But by the time you've ploughed this autumn you'll
see yourself there will be no need. Good luck go with you, brother,
and with the place."

"H'm." The elder brother coughed again. "And what about the price. We
must fix that beforehand."

"What for? You take over the place as it stands, and you'll find
it good enough. Give me the bit of marshland at Isosuo, and the oat
fields adjoining, and the little copse that's fenced in with it, and
that's all I want. You can let me take what timber I want from your
part, for building and such."

"Ho, so you think that's fair, do you?" said his brother eagerly.
"A nice bit of ground--and there's all the clay you'll need ready to
hand. But it'll cost a deal of hard work to drain and clear it--I've
thought over that many a time. As for the building timber--you shall
have all you want, and help for the carting. But all the same, we must
fix a price for Koskela as a whole, and make a fair division."

"There's nothing to divide, I tell you. You take over the whole place,
except the bit I've said. You see how it is: each of us wants to give
more than the other's willing to take, so there's no need to quarrel
about that. And if I want anything later on, I'll ask you for it; if
there's anything you want, you'll come to your brother first."

"Well, well--I dare say it'll be all right. Anyhow, I'll do what I can
to keep up Koskela as it's always been."

And the elder brother began once more drumming with his fingers,
faster this time, and as it were more firmly.

Suddenly he sprang up. "They ought to finish that field to-day--I must
see they don't stop work before it's done."

He left the room and hurried across the courtyard.

Olof rose and followed his brother to the door, watching him as he
strode along, with head bowed forward a little and arms swinging
briskly at his sides.

"Each works best in his own way," he said to himself, smiling
affectionately at the thought. "And maybe his way's like to be better
for Koskela than they ever thought."

* * * * *

Olof turned off from the main road down a little forest track; he
carried an axe o