“So Karin has really ventured out to-day?” said Mother Stina, drawing up the pastor’s chair for her.

“Yes,” she answered.  “It’s easy walking now that the frost has set in.”

“There has been a hard frost during the night,” the schoolmaster put in.

This was followed by a dead silence, which lasted several minutes.  Presently Halvor got up, and the others started, as if suddenly awakened from a sound sleep.

“I must get back to the shop,” said Halvor.

“What’s your hurry?” asked Mother Stina.

“I hope Halvor isn’t going on my account,” said Karin meekly.

As soon as Halvor was gone the tension was broken, and the schoolmaster knew at once what to say.  He looked at the lad Karin had brought with her, and of whom no one had taken any notice before.  He was a little chap who could not have been much older than Gertrude.  He had a fair, soft baby face, yet there was something about him that made him appear old for his years.  It was easy to tell to what family he belonged.

“I think Karin has brought us a new pupil,” said Storm.

“This is my brother,” Karin replied.  “He is the present Ingmar Ingmarsson.”

“He’s rather little for that name,” Storm remarked.

“Yes, father died too soon!”

“He did indeed,” said the schoolmaster and his wife, both in the same breath.

“He has been attending the school in Falun,” Karin explained.  “That’s why he hasn’t been here before.”

“Aren’t you going to let him go back this year, too?”

Karin dropped her eyes and a sigh escaped her.  “He has the name of being a good student,” she said, evading his question.

“I’m only afraid that I can’t teach him anything.  He must know as much as I do.”

“Well, I guess the schoolmaster knows a good deal more than a little chap like him.”  Then came another pause, after which Karin continued:  “This is not only the question of his attending school, but I would also like to ask whether you and Mother Stina would let the boy come here to live.”

The schoolmaster and his wife looked at each other in astonishment, but neither of them was prepared to answer.

“I fear our quarters are rather close,” said Storm, presently.

“I thought that perhaps you might be willing to accept milk and butter and eggs as part payment.”

“As to that—­”

“You would be doing me a great service,” said the rich peasant woman.

Mother Stina felt that Karin would never have made this singular request had there not been some good reason for it; so she promptly settled the matter.

“Karin need say no more.  We will do all that we can for the Ingmarssons.”

“Thank you,” said Karin.

The two women talked over what had best be done for Ingmar’s welfare.  Meantime, Storm took the boy with him to the classroom, and gave him a seat next to Gertrude.  During the whole of the first day Ingmar never said a word.