net by one string, and
dragging the other after him up the staircase. The lovely new bonnet,
which was scarcely recognizable as a bonnet any longer!

They had dinner in the young people's apartments, where Mrs. Worse did
the fine lady to her own intense satisfaction, and persisted in talking
something which she called French. In the evening, when Rachel and her
husband returned from a visit from Sandsgaard, the whole party moved
over to Mrs. Worse's room at the back of the house.

And there, there was laughing, story-telling, drinking of healths, and
rejoicing, until Pitter Nilken was quite overcome, and offered of his
own accord to sing "The Knife-Grinder's Courtship"--a song which had
been a great favourite in the days of his youth. He sang amidst rounds
of applause, in a curious thin voice, which sounded as if he had all at
once recovered his boy's treble, and which was high, squeaky, and
cracked. He, however, rendered the air with a great deal of feeling, and
his eye rested on Mrs. Worse as he sang--

"Maiden, oh list! With those sweet winning glances,
Thy looks nought but goodness and kindness betide!
Oh, couldst thou but smile on my timid advances!
Say, wilt thou be thine own knife-grinder's bride?"

Mrs. Worse beat time with her knitting as she joined in the chorus--

"Whirr! whirr!
Blithely we go. Never say no!
My foot's on the treadle,
which rocks to and fro!"

CHAPTER XXVI.

In the bright sunshine the yellow sand, dotted here and there with
patches of bent grass, stretched away to the northward as far as the eye
could reach. The coast-line, with its succession of bays and
promontories, was here and there enlivened by a cluster of boats, or a
flock of gulls, or wild geese, busily at work on the shore, while the
sea came curling in with its small crested ripples, which sparkled in
the clear sunshine. Over the heather-covered heights, which rolled away
far inland, came a carriage, in which were sitting a lady and a
gentleman. They had left the post-road, and were making their way along
the narrow sandy track which led down towards the village of Bratvold.

It had been much against Madeleine's wish, but as her husband happened
to hear from the coachman, that the _detour_ only made a difference of
about an hour, the order was given to drive down to Bratvold, where they
would be able to rest for a little time on the road.

The pastor and his wife were on th