"You ran away, Petter Nord, you ran away?"

Edith had raised herself in the arm-chair.

"I could not strike him," said Petter Nord.

Edith felt an ever stronger impression of the glory round poor
Petter Nord's head. So it was not necessary to plunge him into the
depths of remorse with the heavy burden of sin around his neck. Was
he such a man? Such a tender-hearted, sensitive man! She sank back,
closed her eyes and thought. She did not need to say it to him. She
was astonished that she felt such a relief not to have to cause him
pain.

"I am so glad that you have given up your plans for revenge, Petter
Nord," she began in friendly tones. "It was about that that I
wished to talk to you. Now I can die in peace."

He drew along breath. She was not unfriendly.

She did not look as if she had been mistaken in him. She must love
him very much when she could excuse such cowardice.--For when she
said that she had sent for him to ask him to give up his thoughts
of revenge, it must have been from bashfulness not to have to
acknowledge the real reason of the summons. She was so right in it.
He who was the man ought to say the first word.

"How can they let you die?" he burst out.

"Halfvorson and all the others, how can they? If I were here, I