"What got into him?" said the lawyer.

Solem went away, his teeth gleaming in a sneer.

That evening, Solem repeated the performance. He went up to Miss Torsen
again and said:

"What about that path? Shall we go now?"

As soon as she saw him coming, she turned quickly and tried to elude him.
But Solem did not hesitate to follow her.

"Now I've just got one thing to say," she said, stopping. "If you're
insolent to me again, I'll see that you're driven off the farm...."

But it was not easy to drive Solem off the farm. After all, he was guide
and porter to the tourists, and the only permanent laborer on the farm as
well. And soon the hay would have to be brought in, and casual laborers
would be engaged to work under him. No, Solem could not be driven off.
Besides, the other ladies were on his side; the mighty Mrs. Brede alone
could save him by a word. She held the Tore Peak resort in the palm of her
hand.

Solem was not discharged; but he held himself in check and became a little
more civil. He seemed to suffer as much as ever. Once at midday, as he was
standing in the woodshed, I saw him make a scratch with the ax across the
nail of his thumb.

"What on earth are you doing?" I asked.