o. She even made some show of having a
cold--couldn't stand the keen air there; for years after her return
she had been too poorly to work out of doors in all seasons. It was
for the outside work she really ought to have a servant.

"Ay, Heaven save us," said Oline, "and why shouldn't you have a
servant indeed, when you've means and learning and a great fine house
and all!"

It was pleasant to meet with sympathy, and Inger did not deny it. She
worked away at her machine till the place shook, and the ring on her
finger shone.

"There, you can see for yourself," said Oline to the woman with her.
"It's true what I said, Inger she wears a gold ring on her finger."

"Would you like to see it?" asked Inger, taking it off.

Oline seemed still to have her doubts; she turned it in her fingers
as a monkey with a nut, looked at the mark. "Ay, 'tis as I say; Inger
with all her means and riches."

The other woman took the ring with veneration, and smiled humbly. "You
can put it on for a bit if you like," said Inger. "Don't be afraid, it
won't break."

And Inger was amiable and kind. She told them about the cathedral at
Trondhjem, and began like this: "You haven't seen the cathedral at
Trondhjem, maybe? No, you haven't been there!" And it might have been
her own cathedral, from the way she praised it, boasted of it, told
them height and breadth; it was a marvel! Seven priests could stand
there preaching all at once and never hear one another. "And then I
suppose you've never seen St. Olaf's Well? Right in the middle of the
cathedral itself, it is, on one side, and it's a bottomless well. When
we went there, we took each a little stone with us, and dropped it in,
but it never reached the bottom."

"Never reached the bottom?" whispered the two women, shaking their
heads.

"And there's a thousand other things besides in that cathedral,"
exclaimed Inger delightedly. "There's the silver chest to begin with.
It's Holy St. Olaf his own silver chest that he had. But the Marble
Church--that was a little church all of pure marble--the Danes took
that from us in the war...."

It was time for the women to go. Oline took Inger aside, led her out
into the larder where she knew all the cheeses were stored, and closed
the door. "What is it?" asked Inger.

Oline whispered: "Os-Anders, he doesn't dare come here any more. I've
told him."

"Ho!" said Inger.

"I told him if he only dared, after what he'd done to you."

"Ay," said Inge