Little Lorentz gave her his horse as a keepsake, and Asta gave her
youngest doll. And Merle went about trying to make believe that Louise
was only going on a short visit, and would soon be coming back.
By dinner-time they had packed a little trunk, and Louise, in her
best dress, was rushing about saying goodbye all round the farm, the
harvesters, whom she had helped to drive in the hay, coming in for a
specially affectionate farewell. Her last visit was to Musin, the grey
horse, that was grazing tethered behind the smithy. Musin was busy
cropping the turf, but he just lifted his head and looked at her--she
plucked a handful of grass, and offered it, and when he had disposed of
that, she patted his muzzle, and he let her cling round his neck for a
moment.
"I'll be sure to write," she cried out to no one in particular, as she
went back over the courtyard again.
The train moved out of the station, taking with it Uthoug junior and
Louise, each waving from one of the windows of the compartment.
And Peer and Merle were left on the platform, holding their two youngest
children by the hand. They could still see a small hand with a white
handkerchief waving from the carriage window. Then the last carriage
disappeared into the cutting, and the smoke and the rumble of the train
were all that was left.
The four that were left behind stood still for a little while, but they
seemed to have moved unconsciously closer together than before.
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