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Page 55
Brita, under the man's gaze, gradually became quieter in her mind,
and in a little while she began to cry softly. She was touched by
his sitting there and protecting her against herself.
As soon as the man saw that Brita was weeping, he rose and went
toward the door. When he was on the doorstep, he turned and again
looked straight into her eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Do
thyself no harm, for the time is nearing when thou shalt live in
righteousness."
Then he went his way. She could hear his heavy footsteps as he
walked, down the road. Brita ran into the little room, took down
the rope, and carried the stepladder back into the shop. Then she
dropped down on a box, where she sat quietly musing for two full
hours. She felt, somehow, that for a long time she had wandered in
a darkness so thick that she could not see her hand before her. She
had lost her way and knew not whither she had strayed, and with
every step she had been afraid of sinking into a quagmire or
stumbling headlong into an abyss. Now some one had called to her
not to go any farther, but to sit down and wait for the break of
day. She was glad that she would not have to continue her perilous
wanderings; now she sat quietly waiting for the dawn.
***
Strong Ingmar had a daughter who was called Anna Lisa. She had
lived in Chicago for a number of years, and had married there a
Swede named John Hellgum, who was the leader of a little band of
religionists with a faith and doctrine of their own. The day after
the memorable dance night at Strong Ingmar's, Anna Lisa and her
husband had come home to pay a visit to her old father.
Hellgum passed his time taking long walks about the parish. He
struck up an acquaintance with all whom he met on the way. He
talked with them at first of commonplace things; but just before
parting with a person, he would always place his large hand upon
his or her shoulder, and speak a few words of comfort or warning.
Strong Ingmar saw very little of his son-in-law, for that summer
the old man and young Ingmar, who had now gone back to the Ingmar
Farm to live, were hard at work daytimes putting up a sawmill below
the rapids. It was a proud day for Strong Ingmar when the sawmill
was ready and the first log had been turned into white planks by
the buzzing saws.
One evening on his way home from work, the old man met Anna Lisa on
the road. She looked frightened, and wanted to run away. Strong
Ingmar, seeing this, quickened his pace, thinking all was not well
at home. When he reached his but he stopped short, frowning. As far
back as he could remember, a certain rosebush had been growing
outside the door. It had been the apple of his eye. He had never
allowed any one to pluck a rose or a leaf from that bush. Strong
Ingmar had always guarded the bush very tenderly, because he
believed it sheltered elves and fairies. But now it had been cut
down. Of course it was his son-in-law, the preacher, who had done
this, as the sight of the bush had always been an eyesore to him.
Strong Ingmar had his axe with him, and his grip on the handle
tightened as he entered the hut. Inside sat Hellgum with an open
Bible before him. He raised his eyes and gave the old man a
piercing look, then went on with his reading; this time aloud:
"Even as ye think, we will be as the heathen, as the families of
the countries, to serve wood and stone, it shall not be at all as
ye think. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand,
and with stretched-out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule
over you--"
Without a word Strong Ingmar turned and walked out of the house.
That night he slept in the barn. The following day he and Ingmar
Ingmarsson set out for the forest to burn charcoal and fell timber.
They were to be gone the whole winter.
On two or three occasions Hellgum had spoken at prayer meetings and
outlined his teaching, which he maintained was the only true
Christianity. But Hellgum, who was not as eloquent a speaker as
Dagson, had made no converts. Those who had met him outside and had
only heard him say a few telling words, expected great things from
him; but when he tried to deliver a lengthy address he became
heavy, prosy, and tiresome.
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