“Come in the ring, Olof, come in the ring!”

Some of the girls broke the chain, and offered their hands.

There was Sunday merriment in the air, and all were intoxicated with spring.  The stream flowed glittering through the fields, with a shimmer of heat above.  The dancers quickened their pace almost to a run.  The lads had pushed their hats back, the sweat stood in beads on their foreheads; the girls smiled with bright eyes, dimpled cheeks a-quiver, and heaving breast.

  “My love is like a cranberry fair,
      A cranberry fair, a cranberry fair. 
   For none but me she’ll ever care,
      She’ll ever care, and ever care.”

“Oh, it’s too hot—­let’s try another game!” cried one.

“Let’s play last man out—­that gives you time to breathe.”

“Yes—­yes.  Here’s my partner!”

The chain broke up, and the new game began.

“And I’m last man—­go on.  We’ll soon find another.  Last man out!”

They raced away on either side, the last man between.  It was the very place for this game, a gentle slope every way.  The last man had no easy task, for the couples agreed, and tried hard to join again.

“Full speed, that’s the way!” cried the lookers-on.  And the last man put on the pace, rushed towards the meeting-point like a whirlwind, and reached it in time.  The girl swung round and dashed off to the left, but made too short a turn, and was caught.

The game went on, growing fast and furious.  All were in high spirits, ready to laugh at the slightest thing; every little unexpected turn and twist was greeted with shouts of glee.

Olof was last man now.  He stood ready in front of the row, glancing to either side.

“Last pair off’!”

The last two were ill-matched; a big broad-shouldered ditcher, and a little slender girl of barely seventeen.

The man lumbered off in a wide curve, the girl shot away like a weasel, almost straight ahead, her red bodice like a streak of flame and her short plait straight out ahead.

“That’s it—­that’s the way!” cried the rest.

The girl ran straight ahead at first, Olof hardly gaining on her at all.  Then she tried a zigzag across the grass.  Olof took short cuts, increasing his pace, and was almost at her heels.

“Now, now!” cried the others behind.

The girl gave a swift glance round, saw her pursuer already stretching out his hand, and broke away suddenly to one side.

Olof slipped, and went down full length on the grass.

The girl’s eyes twinkled mischievously, and a shout of laughter came from the rest.

Olof would have been furious, but he paid no heed to the laughter now, having just at that moment noticed something else.  The girl’s glance as she turned—­heavens, what eyes!  And he had never noticed her before....

He sprang up like a rocket and continued the pursuit.