"What's
there for her to do here? She's got a new place now, as housekeeper,
for two young clerks. They've no wives nor womenfolk of their own, and
they pay her well."
"How much?" said Isak.
"She doesn't say exactly in the letter. But it must be something
altogether different from what folk pay down here, that's plain. Why,
she gets Christmas presents, and presents other times as well, and not
counted off her wages at all."
"Ho!" said Isak.
"You wouldn't like to have her up at your place?" asked Brede.
"I?" said Isak, all taken aback.
"No, of course, he he! It was only a way of speaking. Barbro's well
enough where she is. What was I going to say? You didn't notice
anything wrong with the line coming down--the telegraph, what?"
"With the telegraph? No."
"No, no ... There's not much wrong with it now since I took over.
And then I've my own machine here on the wall to give a warning if
anything happens. I'll have to take a walk up along the line one of
these days and see how things are. I've too much to manage and look
after, 'tis more than one man's work.
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