reins as at everything else. As for Eric's wife--why she had borne
and reared seven children; therefore he should not have felt the
least bit uneasy.

Once they were well on their way and Jan had again gone back to his
digging, a terrible sense of fear came over him. What if Eric's
horse should shy? What if the parson should drop the child? What if
the mistress of Falla should wrap too many shawls around the little
girl, so she'd be smothered when they arrived with her at the
parsonage?

He argued with himself that it was wrong in him to borrow trouble,
when his child had such godfolk as the master and mistress of
Falla. Yet his anxiety would not be stilled. Of a sudden he dropped
his spade and started for the parsonage just as he was taking the
short cut across the heights, and running at top speed all the way.
When Eric of Falla drove into the stable-yard of the parsonage the
first person that met his eyes was Jan of Ruffluck.

Now, it is not considered the proper thing for the father or mother
to be present at the christening, and Jan saw at once that the
Falla folk were displeased at his coming to the parsonage. Eric did
not beckon to him to come and help with the horse, but unharnessed
the beast himself, and the mistress of Falla, drawing the child
closer to her, crossed the yard and went into the parson's kitchen,
without saying a word to Jan.

Since the godparents would not so much as notice him, he dared not
approach them; but when the godmother swept past him he heard a
little piping sound from the bundle on her arm. Then he at least