Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/265

 "Twelve, I believe."

"Ah, that's something to be proud of! He looked about and added "Where's father? Has he gone to church?"

Else threw a stolen glance at him, and then looked at Hansine. "Have you told him anything?" her eyes asked.

Both Else and Hansine had known since the day before, what was to happen in church to-day; but they had decided not to tell Emanuel, because they had a feeling that he might not altogether approve of Hansen's measures, and also because Else did not wish that he should come between them and hinder their plans.

"Anders went down into the meadow to look after the young cattle," she said, calmed by Emanuel's look.

"Oh—I suppose we ought to be foddering now."

"I daresay he'll be back directly. But you're clever enough now, I expect, to feed them yourself, if you like."

"We must see about it," he said, and went across the yard to Ole's bedroom, which was next the stable, to change his clothes.

Hansine went slowly up the stone steps to the brew-house, loosening the strings of her sunbonnet as she went. She had to see after the dinner. She stopped on the top step and glanced uneasily over the little gate between the stables, down the church road.