Then up went her forefinger. Now she held her body rigid and her
eyes open. "No other thoughts, no other thoughts!" she said. "We'll
keep to the subject. Only hush your pounding!"

She waited till Jan minded her.

"You came to me last night in a dream--yes, that was it. You came
to me and I says to you like this: 'Are you out for a walk, Jan of
the Ashdales?' 'Yes,' says you, 'but now I'm Jan of the Vale of
Longings.' 'Then, well met,' says I. 'There's where I have lived
all my life.'"

Whereupon she disappeared again, and Jan, startled by her strange
words, did not immediately resume his work, but stood pondering. In
a moment or two she was there again.

"I remember now what brought me here," she told him. "I wanted to
show you my stars."

On her arm was a small covered basket bound with cord, and while
she tugged and pulled at a knot, to loosen it, she chattered like a
magpie.

"They are real stars, these. When one lives in the Vale of Longings
one isn't satisfied with the things of earth; then one is compelled
to go out and look for stars. There is no other choice. Now you,
too, will have to go in search of them."

"No, no, Ingeborg!" returned Jan. "I'll confine my search to what