ed all his
men from their sleep, and commanded them to follow him. Soon the dusky
forests resounded far and near with the blast of horns, the report of
guns, and the calling and shouting of men. The affrighted stag crossed
and recrossed the path of the hunters, but not a rifle was leveled at
its head. Toward morning--it was before the sun had yet risen--Lage,
weary and stunned, stood leaning up against a huge fir. Then suddenly a
fierce, wild laugh rang through the forest. Lage shuddered, raised his
hand slowly and pressed it hard against his forehead, vainly struggling
to clear his thoughts. The men clung fearfully together; a few of the
more courageous ones drew their knives and made the sign of the cross
with them in the air. Again the same mad laugh shook the air, and swept
over the crowns of the pine-trees. Then Lage lifted his eyes toward
heaven and wrung his hands: for the awful truth stood before him. He
remained a long while leaning against that old fir as in a dead stupor;
and no one dared to arouse him. A suppressed murmur reached the men's
ears. "But deliver us from evil" were the last words they heard.

When Lage and his servants came home to Kvaerk with the mournful tidings
of Aasa's disappearance, no one knew what to do or say. There could be
no doubt that Aasa was "mountain-taken," as they call it; for there were
Trolds and dwarfs in all the rocks and forests round about, and they
would hardly let slip the chance of alluring so fair a maiden as Aasa
was into their castles in the mountains. Elsie, her mother, knew a good
deal about the Trolds, their tricks, and their way of living, and
when she had wept her fill, she fell to thinking of the possibility of
regaining her daughter from their power. If Aasa had not yet tasted of
food or drink in the mountain, she was still out of danger; and if the
pastor would allow the church-bell to be brought up into the forest and
rung near the rock where the laugh had been heard, the Trolds could be
compelled to give her back. No sooner had this been suggested to Lage,
than the command was given to muster the whole force of men and horses,
and before evening on the same day the sturdy swains of Kvaerk were seen
climbing the tower of the venerable church, whence soon the huge old
bell descended, to the astonishment of the throng of curious women and
children who had flocked together to see the extraordinary sight. It was
laid upon four large wagons, which had been joined