PARTVAlexandraIIvarwassittingatacobbler'sbenchinthebarn,mendingharnessbythelightofalanternandrepeatingtohimselfthe101stPsalm.Itwasonlyfiveo'clockofamid-Octoberday,butastormhadcomeupintheafternoon,bringingblackclouds,acoldwindandtorrentsofrain.Theoldmanworehisbuffalo-skincoat,andoccasionallystoppedtowarmhisfingersatthelantern.Suddenlyawomanburstintotheshed,asifshehadbeenblownin,accompaniedbyashowerofrain-drops.ItwasSigna,wrappedinaman'sovercoatandwearingapairofbootsoverhershoes.IntimeoftroubleSignahadcomebacktostaywithhermistress,forshewastheonlyoneofthemaidsfromwhomAlexandrawouldacceptmuchpersonalservice.ItwasthreemonthsnowsincethenewsoftheterriblethingthathadhappenedinFrankShabata'sorchardhadfirstrunlikeafireovertheDivide.SignaandNelsewerestayingonwithAlexandrauntilwinter."Ivar,"Signaexclaimedasshewipedtherainfromherface,"doyouknowwheresheis?"Theoldmanputdownhiscobbler'sknife."Who,themistress?""Yes.Shewentawayaboutthreeo'clock.Ihappenedtolookoutofthewindowandsawhergoingacrossthefieldsinherthindressandsun-hat.Andnowthisstormhascomeon.IthoughtshewasgoingtoMrs.Hiller's,andItelephonedassoonasthethunderstopped,butshehadnotbeenthere.I'mafraidsheisoutsomewhereandwillgetherdeathofcold."Ivarputonhiscapandtookupthelantern."JA,JA,wewillsee.Iwillhitchtheboy'smaretothecartandgo."Signafollowedhimacrossthewagon-shedtothehorses'stable.Shewasshiveringwithcoldandexcitement."Wheredoyousupposeshecanbe,Ivar?"Theoldmanliftedasetofsingleharnesscarefullyfromitspeg."HowshouldIknow?""Butyouthinksheisatthegraveyard,don'tyou?"Signapersisted."SodoI.Oh,Iwishshewouldbemorelikeherself!Ican'tbelieveit'sAlexandraBergsoncometothis,withnoheadaboutanything.Ihavetotellherwhentoeatandwhentogotobed.""Patience,patience,sister,"mutteredIvarashesettledthebitinthehorse'smouth."Whentheeyesofthefleshareshut,theeyesofthespiritareopen.Shewillhaveamessagefromthosewhoaregone,andthatwillbringherpeace.Untilthenwemustbearwithher.YouandIaretheonlyoneswhohaveweightwithher.Shetrustsus.""Howawfulit'sbeenthese