she sighed.

For a time no sound came from the sitting-room, but presently she
heard a noise as if a chair were being pushed back. Some one had
evidently risen.

"Are you going already, Halvor?" young Ingmar was heard to say.

"Yes," Halvor replied. "I can't stop any longer. Please say good-bye
to Karin for me."

"Why don't you go into the kitchen and say it for yourself?"

"No," Halvor was heard to answer, "we two have nothing more to say
to each other."

Karin's heart began to pump hard, and thoughts came rushing into
her head, as if on wings. Now Halvor was angry at her--and no
wonder! She had hardly dared even to shake hands with him, and when
the others had scoffed at him, she never opened her mouth in his
defence, but quietly sneaked away. Now he must think she did not
care for him, and was therefore going, never to return. She could
not understand why she should have treated him so shabbily--she who
was so fond of him. Then, all at once her father's old saying came
to her: "The Ingmarssons need have no fear of men; they have only
to walk in the ways of God."

Karin hastily opened the door, and stood facing Halvor before he
could manage to leave the room.

"Are you leaving so soon, Halvor?" she asked. "I thought you were
going to stay to supper."

Halvor stood staring at Karin. She seemed to be completely changed;
her cheeks were aglow, and there was something tender and appealing
about her which he had never seen before.

"I'm going, and I'm not coming back," said Halvor. He had not
caught her meaning, apparently.

"Do stay and finish your coffee," she urged. Then she took him by
the hand and led him back to the table. She turned both white and
red, and several times she all but lost her courage. Just the same
she braved it out, although there was nothing she feared so much as
scorn and contempt. "Now he will at least see that I'm willing to
stand by him," she thought. Turning toward her guests, she said:
"Berger Sven Persson and all of you! Halvor and I have not spoken
of this matter--as I have so recently become a widow--but now it
seems best that you should all know that I would rather marry
Halvor than any one else in the world." She paused to get control
of her voice, then concluded: "Folks may say what they like about
this, but Halvor and I have done nothing wrong."

When Karin had finished speaking, she drew nearer to Halvor, as if
seeking protection against all the cruel slander that woul