"He does not want me to say anything," thought Anders, and when he was asked if he suspected his brother of the deed, he said loudly and decidedly, "No!" Anders took to hard drinking from that day, and was soon far on the road to ruin.

Still worse was it with Baard; although he did not drink, he was scarcely to be recognized by those who had known him before.
Late one evening a poor woman entered the little room Baard rented, and begged him to accompany her a short distance.

He knew her: it was his brother's wife.

Baard understood forthwith what her errand was; he grew deathly pale, dressed himself, and went with her without a word.
There was a glimmer of light from Anders' window, it twinkled and disappeared, and they were guided by this light, for there was no path across the snow.

When Baard stood once more in the passage, a strange odor met him which made him feel ill.