It was during the noonday rest; the people at the great Heidegards were sleeping, the hay was scattered over the meadows, the rakes were staked in the ground.

Below the barn-bridge stood the hay sleds, the harness lay, taken off, beside them, and the horses were tethered at a little distance.

With the exception of the latter and some hens that had strayed across the fields, not a living creature was visible on the whole plain.
There was a notch in the mountains above the gards, and through it the road led to the Heidegard saeters,--large, fertile mountain plains.

A man was standing in this notch, taking a survey of the plain below, just as if he were watching for some one.

Behind him lay a little mountain lake, from which flowed the brook which made this mountain pass; on either side of this lake ran cattle-paths, leading to the saeters, which could be seen in the distance.