kage with a remarkably fine lunch in
it, and told Lisbeth that she must treat Jacob to some of it, because
he would probably have to go back to Nordrum Saeter that evening and
would not have time to come down to Hoel. But after the lunch was put
up Kjersti did not seem to see any necessity for further haste. In
fact, she thought that it would not be possible for Jacob to get to
Peerout Castle very early, because he would have to come all the way
from Nordrum Saeter that morning. So, finally, Lisbeth had to show
Kjersti her letter and point out the place where it said, "You are
requested to come to the meeting in good season." Then, of course,
Kjersti understood that there was no time to spare.

Shortly afterward Lisbeth was on her way to Peerout Castle, Bearhunter
following her up the road to where the slope of birch trees began; then
he turned around and jogged home with the blandest and prettiest of
Sunday curls in his tail.

The valley lay before her in its quiet Sunday-morning peace. No one was
out on the road or in the fields. Here and there in the farmhouses
across the valley could be seen a man leaning against the frame of the
doorway, bareheaded, and in shirt sleeves as white as the driven snow.
From all the chimneys smoke was slowly arising in the still air.
Lisbeth looked involuntarily up at Peerout Castle. There everything
appeared gray and desolate. No smoke ascended from its chimney; and the
window eye that gazed out over the valley looked as if it was blind,
for the sunlight did not shine upon it now. And that brought to mind a
blind person whom Lisbeth had once seen and whose strange, empty eyes
made her shiver. She felt just the same now, and her pace slackened.
She did not wish to get to the house before Jacob did.

When she finally reached Peerout Castle the first thing she saw was the
pine branches that had been nailed to the gateposts the last time she
was there. They stood in their places still, but they were dry, and the
pine needles had fallen off. She glanced hastily at the door of the
house. Yes, the pine trees stood there, too, just the same, but a
fresher twig had been stuck in the doorlatch,--some one had evidently
been there since that last day. The path that led from the gate to the
door and from there over to the cow house had vanished; grass covered
it. The cow-house door had fallen off, and around the doorposts had
grown up tall stinging nettles. No trace was to be seen of the foot of