Thorhall bade him not say too much about it.

'It will be better for you,' said he, 'if you have no trial of each other.' "'Your courage has indeed been shaken out of you,' said Thorgaut, 'but I am not going to fall dead for such talk.' "The winter went on till Christmas came again, and on Christmas eve the shepherd went out to his sheep.

'I trust,' said the good-wife, 'that things will not go after the old fashion.' "'Have no fear of that, good-wife,' said Thorgaut; 'there will be something worth talking about if I don't come back.' "The weather was very cold, and a heavy drift blowing.

Thorgaut was in the habit of coming home when it was half-dark, but on this occasion he did not return at his usual time.

People came to church, and they now began to think that things were not unlikely to fall out as they had done before.