“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。“
