But the sobbing beside her grew ever deeper and sadder, and at last her heart was touched in spite of herself, and she too began to weep. "She who weeps so must have a terribly heavy grief," she thought. "She must have to bear suffering heavier than any of the living can conceive." When the service was over and Elsalill had come out of church, she heard the sobbing no longer. But all the way home she wept to herself because her foster sister could find no peace in her grave. When the time of evensong came Elsalill went again to the church, being constrained to know whether her foster sister still sat there weeping. And as soon as Elsalill entered the church she heard her, and her soul trembled within her when she caught the sound of the sobbing. She felt her strength forsaking her and she had but one desire--to help the dead girl who was wandering among the living and knew no rest. When Elsalill came out of church it was still light enough for her to see that one of those who walked before her left bloody footprints in the snow. "Who can it be so poor that he goes barefoot and leaves bloody footprints in the snow?" she thought. All those who walked before her seemed to be well-to-do folk. They were neatly dressed and well shod. But the red footprints were not old. Elsalill could see they were made by one of the group that walked before her. "It is someone who is footsore from a long journey," she thought. "God grant he may not have far to go ere he find shelter and rest." She had a strong desire to know who it was that had made this weary pilgrimage, and she followed the footprints, though they led her away from her home. But suddenly she saw that all the church-goers had gone another way and that she was alone in the street. Nevertheless, the blood-red footprints were there as plain as before. "It is my poor foster sister who is going before me," she thought; and she owned to herself that she had guessed it all the time. "Alas, my poor foster sister, I thought you went so lightly upon earth that your feet did not touch the ground. But none among the living can know how painful your pilgrimage must be." The tears started to her eyes, and she sighed: "Could she but find peace in her grave! Woe is me that she must wander here so long, till she has worn her feet to bleeding!" "Stay, my dear foster sister!" she cried. "Stay, that I may speak to you!" But as she cried thus, she saw that the footprints fell yet faster in the snow, as though the dead girl were hastening her steps. "Now she flies from me. She looks no more for help from me," said Elsalill. The bloody footprints made her quite frantic, and she cried out: "My dear foster sister, I will do all you ask if only you may find rest in your grave!" So soon as Elsalill had uttered these words a tall, big woman who had followed her came up and laid a hand on her arm.