"I've bought the Ljung Farm," he said. "I tell you this now so that
you may know you've always got a place to come to." Then he took
the eldest of the children by the hand, and said: "Remember, now,
that you have a house and land to come back to, should you want to
return to the old country." He went from one child to the other,
even to little Eric, who was only two years old and couldn't
understand what it all meant. "The rest of you youngsters must not
forget to tell little Eric that he has a home to return to whenever
he wants to come back."

And the Jerusalem-farers went on.

***

When the long line of carts and wagons had passed the churchyard,
the travellers came upon a large crowd of friends and relatives who
had come out to bid them goodbye. They had a long halt here, for
everybody wanted to shake hands with them, and say a few parting
words.

And later, when they drove through the village, the road was lined
with people who wished to witness their departure. There were
people standing on every doorstep and leaning out of every window;
they sat upon the low stone hedges all along the way, and those who
lived farther off stood on mounds and hills waving a last farewell.

The long procession moved slowly past all these people until it
came to the home of Councilman Lars Clementsson, where it halted.
Here Gunhild got down to say good-bye to her folks.

Gunhild had been staying at the Ingmar Farm since deciding to go
with the others to Jerusalem. She had felt that this was preferable
to living at home in constant strife with her parents, who could
not become reconciled to the thought of her going.

As Gunhild stepped down from the cart she noticed that the place
looked quite deserted. There was not a soul to be seen, either
outside or at the windows. When she reached the gate she found it
locked. She stepped over the stile into the yard. Even the front
door of the house was fastened. Then Gunhild went round to the
kitchen door; it was hooked on the inside! She knocked several
times, but as no one came she pulled the door toward her, inserted
a stick in the crack, and lifted the hook. So she finally got in.
There was no one in the kitchen, nor was there any one in the
living-room, nor yet in the inner room.

Gunhild did not want to go away without letting her parents know
that she had been to say good-bye to them. She went over to the big
combination desk and bureau, where her father always kept his
writi