Ljung Bjoern gave a start. "Couldn't you bear to have it go out of the family?" he asked. "I'm hardly rich enough to do such things for that reason." Bjoern looked at his brother inquiringly. "I did it that you might have something to come back to." Bjoern was overwhelmed, and could hardly keep the tears back. "And that your children may have a place to come back to--" Bjoern put his arm around his brother's neck. "--and for the sake of my dear sister-in-law," said Pehr. "It will be good for her to know that she has a house and home waiting for her. The old home will always be open to any of you who may want to come back." "Pehr, take my place in the cart and go to Jerusalem, and I'll stay at home. You are far more worthy to enter the Promised Land than I am." "No, no!" said the brother smilingly. "I understand how you mean it, but I guess I fit in better at home." "I think you're more fit for Heaven," said Bjoern, laying his head on his brother's shoulder. "Now you must forgive me everything," he said. Then they got up and clasped hands in farewell. "This time there were no rappings," Pehr remarked. "Strange you should have thought of coming here," said Bjoern. "We brothers have had some difficulty in maintaining peace, when we've met of late." "Did you think that I would want to quarrel to-day?" "No, but I become angry when I think of having to lose you!" They walked together down to the road. Presently Pehr went up to Bjoern's wife, and gave her a hearty handclasp. "I've bought the Ljung Farm," he said. "I tell you this now so that you may know you've always got a place to come to." Then he took the eldest of the children by the hand, and said: "Remember, now, that you have a house and land to come back to, should you want to return to the old country." He went from one child to the other, even to little Eric, who was only two years old and couldn't understand what it all meant. "The rest of you youngsters must not forget to tell little Eric that he has a home to return to whenever he wants to come back." And the Jerusalem-farers went on. *** When the long line of carts and wagons had passed the churchyard, the travellers came upon a large crowd of friends and relatives who had come out to bid them goodbye. They had a long halt here, for everybody wanted to shake hands with them, and say a few parting words. And later, when they drove through the village, the road was lined with people who wished to witness their departure. There were people standing on every doorstep and leaning out of every window; they sat upon the low stone hedges all along the way, and those who lived farther off stood on mounds and hills waving a last farewell. The long procession moved slowly past all these people until it came to the home of Councilman Lars Clementsson, where it halted. Here Gunhild got down to say good-bye to her folks.