lly decided on her answer. He was a man, and a courageous one, and
she was determined to follow him. What a joy it had been to her to meet
such a man! But why was she out of spirits now?

Rachel sat by the window till she heard the carriage which brought home
Madeleine, and then hurriedly undressed and went to bed.

As Madeleine was driving home the carriage stopped for a moment in front
of the club, while a boy spoke a few words to the coachman.

The driver that evening was old Per Karl, who many years ago had come
from Denmark with a pair of horses for the young Consul. Both he and the
horses were long past their work; but whenever he could get the
opportunity, he was only too pleased to get the old blacks into the
carriage, and himself upon the box. This had been the case this evening,
when it was only the good-natured Miss Madeleine for whom the carriage
was going, and she was always perfectly satisfied, as the old Jutlander
well knew, even if the pace was not very terrific.

Per Karl now turned round and said to Madeleine, "What shall we do,
miss? Now there will be a bother. Mr. Morten is going to drive out with
us, and when he sees we have got the old horses he will be angry."

A few moments afterwards Morten came out, and, after many apologies for
the delay, took his place by Madeleine's side. He said he thought he
would go out and see how Fanny was, she looked so very unwell; and
besides, what a lovely moonlight evening it was for a drive! He sat
himself down comfortably in the carriage, and had just taken a long
whiff of his cigar, when all at once he leant forward and said, "Stop!
what was that?"

One of the horses had made a slight stumble, and the jar was felt in the
carriage.

"I declare, it is those old horses and Per Karl!" cried Morten, partly
standing up. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Oh!" muttered Per Karl, who was quite ready to defend himself, "there
is nothing the matter with the old horses; but, of course, if we had
known we were going to have you in the carriage, sir--"

"Rubbish! You know perfectly well the old horses were not to be used any
more. I will tell my father, and have them shot to-morrow, as sure as
ever it comes."

Morten was very fond of horses; and besides, he was just in that excited
and obstinate mood in which people sometimes are, when they have been
dining at their club.

Madeleine tried to pacify her cousin, but it only made him all the
worse.

"Just look how