At all events it was a good thing for him matters had taken this turn, for if all had been as before he knew he should never have been able to endure the separation, and all the heartache and loneliness.

A while ago, in passing by the window, he had noticed that the hut inside was decked with leaves and wild flowers.  On the table were coffee cups, as on the day of which he was thinking.  Katrina was giving a little party in honour of the daughter who was to fare forth into the wide world to save the home.  Every one seemed to be weeping, both the housefolk and those who had come to bid the little girl Godspeed.  Jan heard Glory Goldie’s sobs away out in the yard, but they had no effect upon him.

“My good people,” he mumbled to himself, “this is as it should be.  Look at the young birds!  They are thrust out of the nest if they don’t leave it willingly.  Have you ever watched a young cuckoo?  What could be worse than the sight of him lying in the nest, fat and sleek, and shrieking for food the whole blessed day while his parents wear themselves out to provide for him?  It won’t do to let the young ones sit around at home and become a burden to us older ones.  They have got to go out into the world and shift for themselves my good friends.”

At last all was quiet in the house.  The neighbours had left, so that Jan could just as well have gone inside; but he went on puttering with his fishing tackle a while longer.  He would rather that Glory Goldie and Katrina should be in bed and asleep before he crossed the threshold.

By and by, when he had heard no sound from within for ever so long, he stole up to the house as cautiously as a thief.

The womenfolk had not retired.  As Jan passed by the open window he saw Glory Goldie sitting with her arms stretched out across the table, her head resting on them.  It looked as if she were still crying.  Katrina was standing back in the room wrapping her big shawl around Glory Goldie’s bundle of clothing.

“You needn’t bother with that, mother,” said Glory Goldie without raising her head.  “Can’t you see that father is mad at me because I’m leaving?”

“Then he’ll have to get glad again,” returned Katrina, calmly.

“You say that because you don’t care for him,” said the girl, through her sobs.  “All you think about is the hut.  But father and I, we think of each other, and I’ll not leave him!”

“But what about the hut?” asked Katrina.

“It can go as it will with the hut, if only father will care for me again.”

Jan moved quietly away from the door, where he had been standing a moment, listening, and sat down on the step.  He never thought for an instant that Glory Goldie would remain at home.  Indeed he knew better than did any one else that she must go away.  All the same it was to him as if the soft little bundle had again been laid in his arms.  His heart had been set going once more.  Now it was beating away in his breast as if trying to make up for lost time.  With that he felt that his armour of defence was gone.