Erick and Sally | Page 9

the door and Sally
ran toward the house of the Justice of Peace. Before she reached it, old

Marianne met her, panting under the large bundle of horsehair which
she was carrying on her head. Sally was delighted to see her, for she
had just remembered that she had not given 'Lizebeth's message. She
rushed so quickly toward the old woman and with such force, that the
latter went back some steps and almost lost her balance, and Sally cried
out: "Marianne, you have such nice people in your rooms. Do you talk
much with them? Do you cook for them? Do you buy the things they
need? Have they no maid? Do you make their beds?"
"Gently, gently," said Marianne, who had recovered her balance, "else I
lose my breath. But tell me, how did you get into the people's room? I
hope you know how I am to be found."
Sally told her that she, for the shorter way, had not gone round the
house, where, in the woodshed, a narrow stair went up to Marianne's
small room; but that she had wanted to run in the front way, through
the kitchen, and out the back door; but that she had stood suddenly
before the open door of the room and under the eyes of the lady.
"You must never do that again," Marianne interrupted Sally, raising her
finger warningly. "Do you hear that, Sally? Never do that again. They
are not people into whose home you can rush, as if they were living on
the highway."
"But the lady was quite friendly, Marianne," soothed Sally, "she was
not at all offended."
"That makes no difference, she is always so, she could not be otherwise,
and just on that account, and on account of many other things, do you
hear, Sally? Promise that you never again go that way when you want
to come to me. Will you promise?"
"Yes, indeed I will. I do not intend to do it again. Good night, Marianne!
Now I have forgotten the main thing: 'Lizebeth sends her greetings and
she will come to see you on a fine Sunday."
The last words came from some distance, for Sally had already started
on a run while she gave the message, and when Marianne wanted to

send her greetings, Sally was already far away. After a few more jumps
Sally arrived at the house of the Justice of Peace, in front of which
stood a large apple tree which shaded the stone well. Here stood
Kaetheli who did not look sick at all, but splashed with two fat, red
arms about the water in which she seemed to clean some object eagerly.
"Then you are not sick. Why didn't you come to school then?" Sally
called out when she saw her.
"Oh, it is you? Good evening! I could not make out who was jumping
about, and I hadn't the time to look," Kaetheli said with some
importance. "That is also the reason why I did not go to school. I hadn't
the time, for Mother has gone away today to see sick Grandmother, and
then we got young chickens, twelve quite small ones, and that is why I
have to wash a stocking, for I have run after the chicks everywhere and
near the barn I stepped in the dirt quite deep. But come, I will show you
the chickens. Never mind if I have only one stocking on."
But Sally had only very little time left and besides, her head was full of
quite different things and she wanted to hear Kaetheli tell of something
else than the new chickens, so she said quite decisively: "No, Kaetheli,
I haven't time enough to see the chickens. I only wanted to know
whether you were ill and I want to tell you something. I have seen the
strange lady and the boy whom you know. He does look nice. Do you
know his name?"
"He?" said Kaetheli, shrugging her shoulders. "Of course I know. His
name is Erick and just think, he goes to school at Lower Wood; I have
seen him myself today, with his school sack, going there."
That was a blow for Sally. He went to school at Lower Wood. What
was now to come of her beautiful plans? Of all the planned Sundays
which were to be so full of joy and delight, and the whole friendship
with the prepossessing Erick? For how could Edi ever be brought to
making friends with a fellow who went to Lower Wood to school,
when he just as well might have gone to Upper Wood? Sally was very
downcast, but she did not easily give up a pleasant intention. On the
way home she wanted to think what could be done, therefore she

stretched out