independent as in old days, before the time in which the
commanding spirit of Lars had cowed their souls into silent
obedience. They drank toasts to their liberty, they sang, yes,
finally they danced, Canute Aakre with the vice-chairman taking
lead, and all the members of the council following, and boys and
girls too, while the young ones outside shouted, "hurrah!" for
such a spectacle they had never before witnessed.

III.

Lars moved around in the large rooms at Hogstad without uttering a
word. His wife who loved him, but always with fear and trembling,
dared not so much as show herself in his presence. The management
of the farm and house had to go on as it would, while a multitude
of letters were passing to and fro between Hogstad and the parish,
Hogstad and the capital; for he had charges against the county
board which were not acknowledged, and a prosecution ensued;
against the savings-bank, which were also unacknowledged, and so
came another prosecution. He took offence at articles in the
Christiania Correspondence, and prosecuted again, first the
chairman of the county board, and then the directors of the
savings-bank. At the same time there were bitter articles in the
papers, which according to report were by him, and were the cause
of great strife in the parish, setting neighbor against neighbor.
Sometimes he was absent whole weeks at once, nobody knowing where,
and after returning lived secluded as before. At church he was not
seen after the grand scene in the representatives' meeting.

Then, one Saturday night, the mail brought news that the railroad
was to go through the parish after all, and through the old