"Don't say anything until you have had a talk with Hellgum," begged
Karin.
"But if I don't join you I suppose you won't want me to remain under your roof?" said Ingmar, rising. As they did not reply, it seemed to him that all at once he had been cut off from everything. Then he pulled himself together and looked more determined. "Now I want to know what you're going to do about the sawmill!" he demanded, thinking it was best to have this matter settled once for all.
Halvor and Karin exchanged glances; both were afraid of committing themselves.
"You know, Ingmar, that there is no one in the world who is more dear to us than you," said Halvor.
"Yes, yes; but what about the sawmill?" Ingmar insisted.
"The principal thing is to get all your timber sawed."
At Halvor's evasive reply, Ingmar drew his own conclusions. "Maybe
Hellgum wants to run the sawmill, too?"
Karin and Halvor were perplexed at Ingmar's show of temper; since telling him that about Gertrude, they could not seem to get anywhere near him.
"Let Hellgum talk to you," pleaded Karin.
"Oh, I'll let him talk to me," said Ingmar, "but first I'd like to know just where I stand."