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But a gold ring it was not, and that he had never promised her 'twas an invention of her own; silver it was, with gilt hands clasped, real silver, with the mark on and all. But ah, that unlucky voyage of hers to Bergen! Barbro had seen real engagement rings no use telling her! "That ring! Huh! You can keep it yourself." "What's wrong with it, then?" "Wrong with it?
And gradually she had come to reckon on staying the rest of her life on the place. Now came Barbro and upset it all. "If we'd only a grain of coffee in the house you should have it," said she to Barbro. "Going farther up, maybe?" "No," said Barbro. "Ho! Not going farther?" "No." "Why, 'tis no business of mine, no," says Oline. "Going down again, maybe?" "No. Nor going down again.
But Barbro it might be she had some inkling of what he was at; anyway, she did not come, and Axel had to wrap up the body himself as best he could and move it to the new grave. He laid down the turf again on top, just as before, hiding it all. When he had done, there was nothing to be seen but a little green mound among the bushes. He found Barbro outside the house as he came home.
Fru Heyerdahl kept a watchful eye on her at any rate, and took care not to let her go to the Christmas dances. Ay, Fru Heyerdahl was careful enough, that she was; here was Axel standing talking to his former servant-girl about a matter of two rings, and suddenly Fru Heyerdahl comes right between them and says: "Barbro, I thought you were going to the store?" Off goes Barbro.
Barbro asked easily: "What's there to worry about? Let it lie where it is." Ay, she smiled, and asked: "Are you afraid it'll come after you? Leave all that nonsense, and say no more about it." "Ay, well...." "Did I drown the child? I've told you it drowned itself in the water when I slipped in. I never heard such things as you get in your head. And, anyway, it would never be found out," said she.
Axel Ström, the neighbour from Maaneland, the man who had no wife, and no woman to help him, but managed for himself, he came too. He was in a good humour that day; he told them how he had just got a promise of a girl to help through the summer and that was a weight off his mind. He did not say who the girl was, and Isak did not ask, but it was Brede's girl Barbro who was to come.
Barbro had been going about, evidently with child and plain to see, and she had left the place by herself all unencumbered and no child at all. How had it come about? When Geissler understood what the matter was, he said quite shortly: "Come along with me." And he led Axel with him away from the house. Geissler put on an important air, as one in authority.
Barbro knew everything about the place: where pots and vessels stood, when cows and goats were to bear, if the winter feed would be short or plenty, how much milk was for cheese and how much for food a stranger would know nothing of it all, and even so, a stranger was perhaps not to be had.
And then she reckons out that Oline, being old, will be sleeping in the little room, and Axel lying out in the hayshed, just as she herself had done. She goes to the door she knows so well, breathless as a thief, and calls softly: "Axel!" "What's that?" asks Axel all at once. "Nay, 'tis only me," says Barbro, and steps in. "You couldn't house me for the night?" she says.
He ran home for a spade and dug the grave deeper; but, being so near the stream, the water came in, and he had to shift it farther up the bank. As he worked, his fear lest Barbro should come and find him disappeared; he grew defiant and thoroughly bitter. Let her come, and he would make her wrap up the body neatly and decently after her, stillborn or no!
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