ised the money for her? That was not altogether impossible.

"No, it was not impossible," said Katrina, "but since the girl has
neither come herself nor written it's plain she has failed."

Every one in the hut grew more anxious and apprehensive for every
moment that passed. They all felt that some dire misfortune would
soon fall upon those who lived there. When the tension was becoming
unbearable the door opened once more and a man who was seldom seen
in the Ashdales came in.

The instant this man entered it became as still in the hut as on a
winter night in the forest, and every one's eyes save Jan's alone
turned toward him. Jan did not stir, although Katrina whispered to
him that Senator Carl Carlson of Storvik had just come in.

The senator held in his hand a roll of papers and every one took
for granted that he had been sent here by the new owner of Falla,
to notify the Ruffluck folk of what must befall them, now that they
could not meet Lars Gunnarson's claim.

Carl Carlson wore his usual magisterial mien and no one could guess
how heavily the blow he had come to deal would fall. He went up and
shook hands, first with Katrina, then with the others, and each one
in turn rose as he came to them; the only one who did not rise was
Jan.

"I am not very well acquainted in this district," said the senator,
"but I gather that this must be the place in the Ashdales that is
called Ruffluck Croft."

It was of course. Every one nodded in the affirmative, but no one
was able to utter an audible word. They wondered that Katrina had
the presence of mind to nudge Boerje, and make him get up and give
his chair to the senator.

After drawing the chair up to the table the senator laid the roll
of papers down, then he took out his snuff box and placed it beside
the papers, whereupon he removed his spectacles from their case and
wiped them with his big blue-and-white checkered handkerchief.
After these preliminaries he glanced round the room, looking from
one person to the other. Those who sat there were persons of such
little importance he did not even know them by name.

"I wish to speak with Jan Anderson of Ruffluck," he said.

"That's him over there," volunteered the seine-maker, pointing at
the bed.

"Is he sick?" inquired the senator.

"Oh, no! Oh, no!" replied half a dozen at the same time.

"And he isn't drunk, either," added Boerje.

"Nor is he asleep," said the seine-maker.

"He has walked so far to-day h