s Halgrim descended into the
valley, which was as still and dead as those through which he had
wandered. Dark stood the fir-trees in the black shadow of the rocky
wall, and silently rolled on the river between the desolate banks. On
the opposite side of the river a little wooded promontory shot out into
the blue water, and upon the light green tops of the birch-trees played
the last rays of the sun.

Suddenly it seemed to Halgrim as if a light smoke rose up from among the
trees. But he trusted not his eyes; he stared upon it breathlessly. He
waited however hardly a second, when he saw a blue column curling slowly
upwards in the peaceful evening air. With a cry of joy Halgrim darted
forwards, waded through the stream, and soon stood on its opposite
shore. Barking and whining his dog ran onwards to the cottage whence the
smoke ascended. Upon its hearth clearly burned the fire, and a young
maiden stepped forward to the door--one cry of inexpressible joy, and
Halgrim and Hildegunda lay in each other's arms! Hildegunda was also the
only living person in her valley after the terrible visit of the Black
Death.

On the following day, after mutual agreement, they went to church, and
as there was no priest to marry them, and nobody to witness the
plighting of their faith, they stepped alone together to God's altar,
and extended to each other a hand, whilst Halgrim said with a solemn
voice, "In the name of God the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost!"

And God blessed the faith plighted in His name. From this happy pair
descended generations who peopled anew this region, and the names of
Halgrim and Hildegunda are to this day in use among its inhabitants.

* * * * *

Through Harald also was Susanna made acquainted with the legends of the
kings of Norway; with the deeds of Olaf Haraldsen, the blood-baptizer;
with those of the noble Olof Tryggveson; and with admiration heard she
of king Sverre, with the little body and the large truly-royal soul. It
flattered also somewhat her womanly vanity to hear of women as
extraordinary in the old history of Norway; as for example, the proud
peasant's daughter, Gyda, who gave occasion to the hero-deeds of Harald
Haarfager, who first made Norway into a kingdom; and although the action
of Gunild, the king's mother, awakened her abhorrence, yet it gave her
pleasure to see how a woman, by the supremacy of her mind, governed
seven kings and directed the