“WillOlafbethere？“
　　Mrs。Ericsonwentontakingouttheashes，andspokebetweenshovels。“No；Olaf’swheatisallin，putawayinhisnewbarn。
　　Hegotsixthousandbushelthisyear。He’sgoingtotowntodaytogetmentofinishroofinghisbarn。“
　　“SoOlafisbuildinganewbarn？“Nilsaskedabsently。
　　“Biggestoneinthecounty，andalmostdone。You’lllikelybehereforthebarn-raising。He’sgoingtohaveasupperandadanceassoonaseverybody’sdonethreshing。Saysitkeepsthevotersingoodhumour。Itellhimthat’sallnonsense；butOlafhasaheadforpolitics。“
　　“DoesOlaffarmallCousinHenrik’sland？“
　　Mrs。Ericsonfrownedassheblewintothefaintsmokecurlingupaboutthecobs。“Yes；heholdsitintrustforthechildren，Hildaandherbrothers。Hekeepsstrictaccountofeverythingheraisesonit，andputstheproceedsoutatcompoundinterestforthem。“
　　Nilssmiledashewatchedthelittleflamesshootup。Thedoorofthebackstairsopened，andHildaemerged，herarmsbehindher，buttoningupherlongginghamapronasshecame。Henoddedtohergaily，andshetwinkledathimoutofherlittleblueeyes，setfarapartoverherwidecheekbones。
　　“There，Hilda，yougrindthecoffee——andjustputinanextrahandful；IexpectyourCousinNilslikeshisstrong，“saidMrs。
　　Ericson，asshewentouttotheshed。
　　Nilsturnedtolookatthelittlegirl，whogrippedthecoffeegrinderbetweenherkneesandgroundsohardthathertwobraidsbobbedandherfaceflushedunderitsbroadspatteringoffreckles。Henoticedonhermiddlefingersomethingthathadnotbeentherelastnight，andthathadevidentlybeenputonforcompany:atinygoldringwithaclumsilysetgarnetstone。Asherhandwentroundandroundhetouchedtheringwiththetipofhisfinger，smiling。
　　HildaglancedtowardthesheddoorthroughwhichMrs。Ericsonhaddisappeared。“MyCousinClaragavemethat，“shewhisperedbashfully。“She’sCousinOlaf’swife。“
　　Mrs。OlafEricson——ClaraVavrika，asmanypeoplestillcalledher——wasmovingrestlesslyaboutherbigbarehousethatmorning。
　　Herhusbandhadleftforthecountytownbeforehiswifewasoutofbed——herlatenessinrisingwasoneofthemanythingstheEricsonfamilyhadagainsther。Claraseldomcamedownstairsbeforeeighto’clock，andthismorningshewasevenlater，forshehaddressedwithunusualcare。Sheputon，however，onlyatightfittingblackdress，whichpeoplethereaboutsthoughtveryplain。Shewasatall，darkwomanofthirty，witharathersallowcomplexionandatouchofdullsalmonredinhercheeks，wherethebloodseemedtoburnunderherbrownskin。Herhair，partedevenlyaboveherlowforehead，wassoblackthatthereweredistinctlybluelightsinit。Herblackeyebrowsweredelicatehalf-moonsandherlasheswerelongandheavy。Hereyesslantedalittle，asifshehadastrainofTartarorgypsyblood，andweresometimesfulloffierydeterminationandsometimesdullandopaque。Herexpressionwasneveraltogetheramiable；wasoften，indeed，distinctlysullen，or，whenshewasanimated，sarcastic。Shewasmostattractiveinprofile，forthenonesawtoadvantagehersmall，well-shapedheadanddelicateears，andfeltatoncethatherewasaverypositive，ifnotanaltogetherpleasing，personality。
　　TheentiremanagementofMrs。Olaf’shouseholddevolveduponheraunt，JohannaVavrika，asuperstitious，dotingwomanoffifty。
　　WhenClarawasalittlegirlhermotherdied，andJohanna’slifehadbeenspentinungrudgingservicetoherniece。Clara，likemanyself-willedanddiscontentedpersons，wasreallyveryapt，withoutknowingit，todoasotherpeopletoldher，andtoletherdestinybedecidedforherbyintelligencesmuchbelowherown。
　　ItwasherAuntJohannawhohadhumouredandspoiledherinhergirlhood，whohadgotherofftoChicagotostudypiano，andwhohadfinallypersuadedhertomarryOlafEricsonasthebestmatchshewouldbelikelytomakeinthatpartofthecountry。JohannaVavrikahadbeendeeplyscarredbysmallpoxintheoldcountry。
　　Shewasshortandfat，homelyandjollyandsentimental。Shewassobroad，andtooksuchshortstepswhenshewalked，thatherbrother，JoeVavrika，alwayscalledherhisduck。Sheadoredherniecebecauseofhertalent，becauseofhergoodlooksandmasterfulways，butmostofallbecauseofherselfishness。
　　Clara’smarriagewithOlafEricsonwasJohanna’sparticulartriumph。ShewasinordinatelyproudofOlaf’sposition，andshefoundasufficientlyexcitingcareerinmanagingClara’shouse，inkeepingitabovethecriticismoftheEricsons，inpamperingOlaftokeephimfromfindingfaultwithhiswife，andinconcealingfromeveryoneClara’sdomesticinfelicities。WhileClarasleptofamorning，JohannaVavrikawasbustlingabout，seeingthatOlafandthemenhadtheirbreakfast，andthatthecleaningorthebutter-
　　makingorthewashingwasproperlybegunbythetwogirlsinthekitchen。Then，atabouteighto’clock，shewouldtakeClara’scoffeeuptoher，andchatwithherwhileshedrankit，tellingherwhatwasgoingoninthehouse。OldMrs。Ericsonfrequentlysaidthatherdaughter-in-lawwouldnotknowwhatdayoftheweekitwasifJohannadidnottellhereverymorning。Mrs。EricsondespisedandpitiedJohanna，butdidnotwhollydislikeher。Theonethingshehatedinherdaughter-in-lawaboveeverythingelsewasthewayinwhichClaracouldcomeitoverpeople。Itenragedherthattheaffairsofherson’sbig，barnlikehousewentonaswellastheydid，andsheusedtofeelthatinthisworldwehavetowaitoverlongtoseetheguiltypunished。“SupposeJohannaVavrikadiedorgotsick？“theoldladyusedtosaytoOlaf。“Yourwifewouldn’tknowwheretolookforherowndish-cloth。“Olafonlyshruggedhisshoulders。ThefactremainedthatJohannadidnotdie，and，althoughMrs。Ericsonoftentoldhershewaslookingpoorly，shewasneverill。Sheseldomleftthehouse，andshesleptinalittleroomoffthekitchen。NoEricson，bynightorday，couldcomepryingabouttheretofindfaultwithoutherknowingit。Heroneweaknesswasthatshewasanincurabletalker，andshesometimesmadetroublewithoutmeaningto。
　　ThismorningClarawastyingawine-colouredribbonaboutherthroatwhenJohannaappearedwithhercoffee。Afterputtingthetrayonasewingtable，shebegantomakeClara’sbed，chatteringthewhileinBohemian。
　　“Well，Olafgotoffearly，andthegirlsarebaking。I’mgoingdownpresentlytomakesomepoppy-seedbreadforOlaf。Heaskedforprunepreservesatbreakfast，andItoldhimIwasoutofthem，andtobringsomeprunesandhoneyandclovesfromtown。“
　　Clarapouredhercoffee。“Ugh！Idon’tseehowmencaneatsomuchsweetstuff。Inthemorning，too！“
　　Herauntchuckledknowingly。“Baitabearwithhoney，aswesayintheoldcountry。“
　　“Washecross？“hernieceaskedindifferently。
　　“Olaf？Oh，no！Hewasinfinespirits。He’snevercrossifyouknowhowtotakehim。Ineverknewamantomakesolittlefussaboutbills。Igavehimalistofthingstogetayardlong，andhedidn’tsayaword；justfoldeditupandputitinhispocket。“
　　“Icanwellbelievehedidn’tsayaword，“Clararemarkedwithashrug。“Somedayhe’llforgethowtotalk。“
　　“Oh，buttheysayhe’sagrandspeakerintheLegislature。
　　Heknowswhentokeepquiet。That’swhyhe’sgotsuchinfluenceinpolitics。Thepeoplehaveconfidenceinhim。“Johannabeatupapillowandhelditunderherfatchinwhilesheslippedonthecase。Herniecelaughed。
　　“Maybewecouldmakepeoplebelievewewerewise，Aunty，ifweheldourtongues。WhydidyoutellMrs。EricsonthatNormanthrewmeagainlastSaturdayandturnedmyfoot？She’sbeentalkingtoOlaf。“
　　Johannafellintogreatconfusion。“Oh，but，myprecious，theoldladyaskedforyou，andshe’salwayssoangryifIcan’tgiveanexcuse。Anyhow，sheneedn’ttalk；she’salwaystearingupsomethingwiththatmotorofhers。“
　　Whenherauntclattereddowntothekitchen，Clarawenttodusttheparlour。Sincetherewasnotmuchtheretodust，thisdidnottakeverylong。Olafhadbuiltthehousenewforherbeforetheirmarriage，butherinterestinfurnishingithadbeenshort-
　　lived。Itwent，indeed，littlebeyondabathtubandherpiano。
　　Theyhaddisagreedaboutalmosteven，otherarticleoffurniture，andClarahadsaidshewouldratherhaveherhouseemptythanfullofthingsshedidn’twant。Thehousewassetinahillside，andthewestwindowsoftheparlourlookedoutabovethekitchenyardthirtyfeetbelow。Theeastwindowsopeneddirectlyintothefrontyard。Atoneofthelatter，Clara，whileshewasdusting，heardalowwhistle。Shedidnotturnatonce，butlistenedintentlyasshedrewherclothslowlyalongtheroundofachair。Yes，thereitwas:
　　IdreamtthatIdweltinma-a-arblehalls。
　　SheturnedandsawNilsEricsonlaughinginthesunlight，hishatinhishand，justoutsidethewindow。Asshecrossedtheroomheleanedagainstthewirescreen。“Aren’tyouatallsurprisedtoseeme，ClaraVavrika？“
　　“No；Iwasexpectingtoseeyou。MotherEricsontelephonedOlaflastnightthatyouwerehere。“
　　Nilssquintedandgavealongwhistle。“Telephoned？ThatmusthavebeenwhileEricandIwereoutwalking。Isn’tsheenterprising？Liftthisscreen，won’tyou？“
　　Claraliftedthescreen，andNilsswunghislegacrossthewindow-sill。Ashesteppedintotheroomshesaid:“Youdidn’tthinkyouweregoingtogetaheadofyourmother，didyou？“
　　Hethrewhishatonthepiano。“Oh，Idosometimes。Yousee，I’maheadofhernow。I’msupposedtobeinAnders’wheat-field。
　　But，aswewereleaving，Motherranhercarintoasoftplacebesidetheroadandsankuptothehubs。Whiletheyweregoingforthehorsestopullherout，Icutawaybehindthestacksandescaped。“Nilschuckled。Clara’sdulleyeslitupasshelookedathimadmiringly。
　　“You’vegotthemguessingalready。1don’tknowwhatyourmothersaidtoOlafoverthetelephone，butbecamebacklookingasifhe’dseenaghost，andhedidn’tgotobeduntiladreadfulhour——teno’clock，Ishouldthink。Hesatoutontheporchinthedarklikeagravenimage。Ithadbeenoneofhistalkativedays，too。“Theybothlaughed，easilyandlightly，likepeoplewhohavelaughedagreatdealtogether；buttheyremainedstanding。
　　“AndersandOttoandPeterlookedasiftheyhadseenghosts，too，overinthethreshingfield。What’sthematterwiththemall？“
　　Claragavehimaquick，searchinglook。“Well，foronething，they’vealwaysbeenafraidyouhavetheotherwill。“