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Page 36
"I'd like to know where all those carriages have gone to," he said
to himself. He followed the wheel ruts, half running, but all the
while becoming more and more determined. "I know this is stupid of
me," he thought, remembering Mother Stina's warning. "But I'm only
going as far as the gate, to see what they're up to down there."
In the best room at the Ingmars sat Berger Sven Persson and two
other men, drinking coffee. Ingmar Ingmarsson, who still lived at
the schoolhouse, was at home over Sunday. He sat at table with them
and acted as host, for Karin had excused herself, saying she had
some work to do in the kitchen, as the maids had gone down to the
mission house to hear the schoolmaster preach.
It was deadly dull in the parlour. All the men sat drinking their
coffee without exchanging a word. The suitors were practically
strangers to one another, and all three of them were watching for
an opportunity to slip into the kitchen for a private word with
Karin.
Presently the door opened and in stepped another caller, who was
received by Ingmar, and conducted to the table.
"This is Tims Halvor Halvorsson," said Ingmar, introducing the
newcomer to Berger Sven Persson.
Sven Persson did not rise, but greeted Halvor with a sweep of the
hand, saying, somewhat facetiously:
"It is a pleasure to meet so distinguished a personage."
Ingmar noisily drew up a chair for Halvor, so that he was spared
the embarrassment of replying.
From the moment Halvor entered the room, all the suitors became
chatty and began to talk big. Each in turn praised and championed
the others. It was as if they had all agreed among themselves to
stand together until Halvor was well out of the game.
"The magistrate is driving a fine horse to-day," the inspector
began.
Berger Sven Persson took up the fun by complimenting the inspector
on having shot a bear the winter before. Then the two turned to the
innkeeper's son, and said something in praise of a house his father
was building.
Finally all three of them bragged about the wealth of Bergen Sven
Persson. They waxed eloquent, and with every word they gave Halvor
to understand that he was too lowly a man to think of pitting
himself against them. And Halvor certainly did feel very
insignificant, and bitterly regretted having come.
Just then Karin came along with fresh coffee. At sight of Halvor
she brightened for an instant; then it occurred to her that his
calling on her so soon after her husband's death looked rather bad.
"If he is in such a hurry, people will surely say that he hadn't
given Elof proper care, and that he wanted him out of the way so he
could marry me." She would rather he had waited two or three years
before coming; that would have been long enough to make folks see
that he had not been impatient for Elof's departure. "Why need he
be in such haste?" she wondered. "Surely he must know that I don't
want anyone but him."
Every one had stopped talking the moment Karin appeared, wondering
how she and Halvor would greet each other. They barely touched
hands. .At which the magistrate expressed his delight by a short
whistle, while the inspector broke into a loud guffaw. Haldor
quietly turned to him. "What are you laughing at?" he said.
The inspector was at a loss for an answer. With Karin there he did
not wish to say anything that might give offence.
"He is thinking of a hound that raises a hare and allows some one
else to catch it," remarked the innkeeper's son, insinuatingly.
Karin turned blood red, but refilled the coffee cups. "Berger Sven
Persson and the rest of you will have to be satisfied with plain
coffee," she said. "We no longer serve spirits to any one on this
farm."
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