This had been the most dreadful part of it to Katrina.  Glory Goldie had sent Jan on an errand to the store away up in Bro parish and as soon as he was gone they had packed up their belongings and left.  Katrina had felt like a criminal in sneaking away from the house in that way, but Glory Goldie had insisted it was the only thing to do.  For had Jan known of where they were going he would have cast himself in front of the wagon, to be trampled and run over.  And now, on his return, Lisa would be at the house to receive him and of course she would try her best to console him; but still it hurt to think of how hard he would take it when he learned that his daughter had left him.

Sexton Blackie had listened quietly to Glory Goldie, without putting in a word.  Katrina had begun to wonder whether he was pleased with what he had learned, when he suddenly took the girl’s hand in his and said with great gravity: 

“Inasmuch as I am your old teacher, Glory Goldie, I shall speak plainly to you.  You want to run away from a duty, but that does not say that you will succeed.  I have seen others try to do the same thing, but it has invariably resulted in their undoing.”

When Katrina heard this she rose and drew a breath of relief.  Those were the very words she herself had been wanting to say to her daughter.

Glory Goldie answered in all meekness that she did not know what else she could have done.  She certainly could not take an insane man along to a strange city, nor could she remain in Svartsjoe, and Jan had himself to thank for that.  When she went past a house the youngsters came running out shouting “Empress, Empress” at her, and last Sunday at church the people in their eager curiosity to see her had crowded round her and all but knocked her down.

“I understand that such things are very trying,” said the sexton.  “But between you and your father there has been an uncommonly close bond of sympathy, and you musn’t think it can be so easily severed.”

Then the sexton and Glory Goldie went outside.  Katrina followed immediately.  She had altered her mind now and wanted to talk to the sexton, but stopped a moment to glance up toward the hill.  She had the feeling that Jan would soon be there.

“Are you afraid father will come?” asked Glory Goldie, leaving the sexton and going over to her mother.

“Afraid!” cried Katrina.  “I only hope to God he gets here before I’m gone!” Then, summoning all her courage, she went on:  “I feel that I have done something wicked for which I shall suffer as long as I live.”

“You think that only because you’ve had to live in gloom and misery so many years,” said Glory Goldie.  “You’ll feel differently once we’re away from here.  Anyhow, it isn’t likely that father will come when he doesn’t even know we’ve left the house.”

“Don’t be too sure of that!” returned Katrina.  “Jan has a way of knowing all that is necessary for him to know.  It has been like that with him since the day you left us, and this power of sensing things has increased with the years.  When the poor man lost his reason Our Lord gave him a new light to be guided by.”