loitered lazily around, their heads
hanging, with hot eyes and lolling tongues. Round about on the slopes
not a bird was to be seen, not a sound was heard, save the prattling of
children and the tinkling of bells; the heather was parched and dry,
the sun blazed on the hill-sides, so that everything was scorched by
its heat.

It was Oyvind who was sitting up there in the mid-day sun, waiting. He
sat in his shirt-sleeves, close by the brook which flowed from the
lake. No one yet appeared on the Heidegard plain, and he was gradually
beginning to grow anxious when suddenly a large dog came walking with
heavy steps out of a door in Nordistuen, followed by a girl in white
sleeves. She tripped across the meadow toward the cliff; he felt a
strong desire to shout down to her, but dared not. He took a careful
survey of the gard to see if any one might come out and notice her, but
there seemed to be no danger of detection, and several times he rose
from impatience.

She arrived at last, following a path by the side of the brook, the dog
a little in advance of her, snuffing the air, she catching hold of the
low shrubs, and walking with more and more weary gait. Oyvind sprang
downward; the dog growled and was hushed; but as soon as Marit saw
Oyvind coming she sat down on a large stone, as red as blood, tired and
overcome by the heat. He flung himself down on the stone by her side.

"Thank you for coming."

"What heat and what a distance! Have you been here long?"

"No. Since we are watched in the evening, we must make use of the
noon. But after this I think we will not act so secretly, nor take so
much trouble; it was just about this I wanted to speak to you."

"Not so secretly?"

"I know very well that all that is done secretly pleases you best; but
to show courage pleases you also. To-day I have come to have a long
talk with you, and now you must listen."

"Is it true that you are trying to be agriculturist for the district?"

"Yes, and I expect to succeed. In this I have a double purpose: first,
to win a position for myself; but secondly, and chiefly, to accomplish
something which your grandfather can see and understand. Luckily it
chances that most of the Heidegard freeholders are young people who
wish for improvements and desire help; they have money, too. So I
shall begin among them. I shall regulate everything from their stables
to their water-pipes; I shall give lectures and work; I shall fairly
bes