You don't want to do it yourself. Surely we have not come to
that--to begin sending--giving away--no, no, no!" she moaned. "Do you
hear me, Peer? I cannot do it."
"As you please, Merle," he said, rising, and forcing himself to speak
calmly. "We can think it over, at any rate, till your brother leaves
tomorrow. There are two sides to the thing: one way of it may hurt us
now; the other way may be a very serious matter for Louise, poor thing."
Next morning, when it was time to wake the children, Peer and Merle
went into the nursery together. They stopped by Louise's bed, and stood
looking down at her. The child had grown a great deal since they came
to Raastad; she lay now with her nose buried in the pillow and the fair
hair hiding her cheek. She slept so soundly and securely. This was home
to her still; she was safer with father and mother than anywhere else in
the world.
"Louise," said Merle, shaking her. "Time to get up, dear."
The child sat up, still half asleep, and looked wonderingly at the two
faces. What was it?
"Make haste and get dressed," said Peer. "Fancy! You're going off with
Uncle Carsten today, to see Aunt Marit at Bruseth. What do you say to
that?"
The little girl was wide awake in a moment, and hopped out of bed at
once to begin dressing. But there was something in her parents' faces
which a little subdued her joy.
That morning there was much whispering among the children. The two
youngest looked with wondering eyes at their elder sister, who was going
away.
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