Chapter IX


The years pass by.

Once more there came visitors to Sellanraa; an engineer, with a
foreman and a couple of workmen, marking out telegraph lines again
over the hills. By the route they were taking now, the line would be
carried a little above the house, and a straight road cut through the
forest. No harm in that. It would make the place less desolate, a
glimpse of the world would make it brighter.

"This place," said, the engineer, "will be just about midway between
two lines through the valleys on either side. They'll very likely ask
you to take on the job of linesman for both."

"Ho!" said Isak.

"It will be twenty-five _Daler_ a year in your pocket."

"H'm," said Isak. "And what am I to do for that?"

"Keep the line in repair, mend the wires when necessary, clear away
forest growth on the route as it comes up. They'll set up a little
machine thing in the house here, to hang on the wall, that'll tell you
when you're wanted. And when it does, you must leave whatever you're
doing and go."