"Where?" she asked.
"Over there. Right up towards our place."
Inger evinced no jealousy on her part. She did not praise him for it, true, but there was nothing in her manner suggestive of a hard word or a contemptuous kick. Inger herself, you see, had grown somewhat lighter of heart and kindlier of late, whatever the cause; and now she merely asked:
"The Evil One himself?"
Isak nodded: as far as he could see it was himself and no other.
"And how did you get rid of him?"
"I went for him in Jesu name," said Isak.
Inger wagged her head, altogether overwhelmed, and it was some time before she could get his supper on the table.
"Anyhow," said she at last, "we'll have no more of you going out alone in the woods by yourself."
She was anxious about him—and it did him good to know it. He made out to be as bold as ever, and altogether careless whether he went alone or in company; but this was only to quiet Inger's mind, not to frighten her more than necessary with the awful thing that had happened to himself. It was his place to protect her and them all; he was the Man, the Leader.