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Twice in one summer he came across the hills, and Os-Anders, it should be remembered, had no reindeer to look to, but lived by begging and quartering himself on other Lapps. As soon as he came up to the place, Oline left her work and fell to chatting with him about people in the village, and, when he left, his sack was heavy with no end of things. Isak put up with it for two years, saying nothing.
"Ay, 'tis so." "And sweat of his brow to every spade of it." "Why, they say 'tis the State owns all the land." Inger could make nothing of this. "Ay, maybe so. Was it Oline said so?" "I don't well remember," says the Lapp, and his shifty eyes looked all ways around. Inger wondered why he did not beg for anything; Os-Anders always begged, as do all the Lapps.
"Well, what have, you done with the sheep? Has Os-Anders had it?" "Os-Anders?" Oline has to set down the buckets and fold her hands." May I never have more guilt to answer for! What's all this about a ewe and lambs you're talking of? Is it the goat you mean, with the flat ears?" "You creature!" said Isak, turning away.
"If I'd no more guilt in anything than I have about that hare. What was it like?" "What was it like? Why, what's a hare always like?" "Like you. The very image." "Out with you get out!" shrieks Inger. "'Twas you sent Os-Anders with that hare. I'll have you punished; I'll have you put in prison for that." "Prison was it prison you said?"
But if you've a sup for the dog here...." Milk for Os-Anders, and food for the dog. Os-Anders lifts his head suddenly, at a kind of music inside the house. "What's that?" "'Tis only our clock," says Inger. "It strikes the hours that way." Inger bursting with pride. The Lapp wags his head again: "House and cattle and all manner of things. There's nothing a man could think of but you've that thing."
Said Inger then: "What harm could it do if he did come, anyway? He can't hurt me any more." Oline pricked up her ears: "Ho, you've learned a way yourself, maybe?" "I shan't have any more children," said Inger. And now they were quits, each holding as good a trump as the other: for Oline stood there knowing all the time that Os-Anders the Lapp had died the day before....
"Well, there's but nine there now." Eleseus counted again, and thought for a moment inside his little head; then he said: "Yes, but then Os-Anders had one to take away; that makes ten." There was silence for quite a while after that. Then little Sivert must try to count as well, and says after his brother: "That makes ten." Silence again. At last Oline felt she must say something.
Os-Anders sits scraping at the bowl of his clay pipe, and and lights up. What a pipe! He puffs and draws at it till his wrinkled old face looks like a wizard's runes. "No need to ask if the little ones there are yours," says he, flattering again. "They're as like you as could be. The living image of yourself when you were small."
Her manner is intended to show that something serious is the matter; she is overcome. Inger can control herself no longer. Her face is all terror and fury as she says: "I saw what you sent me by Os-Anders. Ay, 'twas a nice thing to send!" "Why ... what...?" "That hare." "What do you mean?" asks Oline in a strangely gentle voice. "Ah, don't deny it!" cries Inger, her eyes wild.
"I'll not touch her flowers again," said Oline. But the flowers were already dead. Again, how could it be that the Lapps came up to Sellanraa so frequently of late? Os-Anders, for instance, had no business there at all, he should have passed on his way.
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