"You cur!" cried August. "You knew well enough that he couldn't
stand hearing the truth. You can't have any heart in your body!"

This much Jan heard, but as anything in the way of fighting or
quarrelling was contrary to his nature, he went on up the hill,
without mixing in the fray.

But strangely enough, when he was out of every one's sight an
uncontrollable spell of weeping came over him. He did not know why
he wept, but probably his tears were of joy at having cleared up
the mystery. He felt now as if his little girl had come back to him.


THE EMPEROR

The first Sunday in September the worshippers at Svartsjö church
had a surprise in store for them.

There was a wide gallery in the church extending clear across the
nave. The first row of pews in this gallery had always been
occupied by the gentry--the gentlemen on the right side and the
ladies on the left--as far back as can be remembered. All the seats
in the church were free, so that other folk were not debarred from
sitting there, if they so wished; but of course it would never have
occurred to any poor cotter to ensconce himself in that row of
pews.

In the old days Jan had thought the occupants of this particular
bench a delight to the eye. Even now he was willing to concede that
the superintendent from Doveness, the lieutenant from Lövdala, and