he home yet?" asked the Dean. 'No, he is not at home; but they may
have stopped at Bergskog first.'"

"Did mother really say that?" cried Ingmar.

"Why, of course she did; and while we sat waiting for you to
appear, she sent out one messenger after the other to look for
you."

Kaisa kept up a steady stream of talk, but Ingmar no longer heard
what she said. His thoughts were far away. "I come into the living-room,
where father sits with all the old Ingmars. 'Good-day to you, Big
Ingmar Ingmarsson,' says father, rising and coming toward me. 'The
same to you, father,' says I, 'and thank you for your help.' 'Now
you'll be well married,' says father, 'and then the other matters
will all right themselves.' 'But, father, it could never have
turned out so well if you hadn't stood by me.' 'That was nothing,'
says father. 'All we Ingmars need do is to walk in the ways of
God.'"




BOOK TWO


AT THE SCHOOLMASTER'S

In the early eighties there was no one in the parish where the old
Ingmarsson family lived who would have thought of embracing any new