he Pastor down the Himmelbjerg. When they at last
reached the carriage, which a man from the hotel at Silkeborg had
driven, as Garth had charge of Buffalo, the Pastor decided to go in
the carriage, and not by Hardy's side. Helga, after seeing her father
comfortable, got up by Hardy, and talked to him unreservedly.

The bright ripple of Helga's talk was pleasant to hear in its clear
transparency. She told Hardy of her father so long as she could
recollect, and the great sorrow that fell upon him when her mother
died, and how difficult it was to keep him from the bitter memory of
his loss; that she was with him at every spare moment, and how at
times it was beyond her power to cheer him; but that since Hardy had
been with them, her father had scarcely shown a sign of the sorrow
they knew was always at his heart.

"It is the way you listen," said Helga, "that my father likes. You
cannot, he says, speak Danish as well as we Danes, but your manner of
listening is perfect, and that there is a respectful attention
impossible to describe."

"I can describe it," said Hardy, laughing. "The fact is, I know Danish
not very perfectly, and my whole attention is necessary to grasp what
is said."

"I told him so," said Helga; "but he said there is more than that--it
was true politeness."

"Well," said Hardy, "you have now explained that you have not so good
an opinion of me as your father."

"No," said Helga; "that's not my meaning. I only related what passed,
and I am not able to judge any one like my father."

"I have heard, however, that you have differed from your father in
judging a particular person," said Hardy, "and a man whom your father
speaks well of."

"That is Kapellan Holm," said Helga, quickly, "My father has told you
about him?"

"Yes," replied Hardy; "but I do not wish you to tell me any more about
him, and to prevent your thoughts being occupied by the Kapellan,
would you like to drive a few miles?"

"Gladly," replied Helga, using the pretty Danish phrase that so well
expressed her meaning.

She insisted on taking off her gloves to drive, and said she could not
feel the reins so well, and disliked wearing gloves in hot weather.

Hardy showed her how to hold the reins so as to feel the horses' mouth
slightly. She appeared to like to hear the quick sound of the horses
trotting.

"How easily they go! There is no difficulty in slackening or
quickening their speed, and they obey the least touch on the rei