t wanted to tease him a
bit.

When Halvor tried to snatch it again, Elof stepped back and held it
up, as if he were holding out a lump of sugar to a dog. Then Halvor
vaulted the counter; and he looked so angry that Elof got
frightened and, instead of standing still and handing him back the
watch, he ran for the door.

Outside were some badly worn wooden steps; Elof's foot caught in a
hole, and down he went. Halvor fell upon him, seized the watch,
then gave him several hard kicks.

"You'd better quit kicking me, and find out what's wrong with my
back," said Elof.

Halvor stopped at once, but Elof made no move to raise himself.

"Help me up," he said.

"You can help yourself when you've slept off your jag."

"I'm not full," Elof protested. "The fact is, as I started to run
down the stairs I thought I saw Big Ingmar coming toward me, to
take the watch. That's how I got such an ugly fall."

Then Halvor bent down and gave the poor wretch a lift, for his back
was broken. He had to be put into a wagon and driven home. He would
never again have the use of his legs. From that time forth Elof was
confined to his bed, a helpless cripple. But he could talk, and all
day long he kept begging for brandy. The doctor had left strict
orders with Karin not to give him any spirits, lest he drink
himself to death. Then Elof tried to get what he wanted by
shrieking and making the most hideous noises, especially at night.
He behaved like a madman, and disturbed every one's rest.

That was Karin's most trying year. Her husband sometimes tormented
her until it seemed as though she could not stand it any longer.
The very air became polluted by his vile talk and profanity, so
that the home was like a hell. Karin begged the Storms to keep
little Ingmar with them also during the holidays; she did not want
her brother to be at home with her for a day, not even at
Christmas.

All the servants at the Ingmar Farm were distantly related to the
family, and had always lived on the place. But for the feeling that
they belonged to the Ingmarssons, they could not have gone on
serving under such conditions. There were precious few nights that
they were allowed to sleep in peace. Elof was constantly hitting
upon new ways of tormenting both the servants and Karin, to make
them give in to his demands.

In this misery Karin passed a winter and a summer and another
winter.

But Karin had a retreat to which she would flee at times in order
to be