s. Hardy had directed to be prepared for him, near her
son's rooms.

"Karl," he said, "here is your room, and everything you are likely to
want ready. If you want anything, press that nob, which rings a bell,
and a man-servant will answer it; but as he may not understand you,
come for a moment into my dressing-room, and I will show you where my
things are, and if you want anything, take it."

There was a strong contrast between Hardy's rooms in his own home and
the single little room he had occupied in Denmark, and Karl said so.

"Yes," said Hardy; "you will find a good deal of difference between
England and Denmark, but you will find me the same John Hardy."

"I have not dressed, mother," said Hardy, as he came down just before
the gong was struck for dinner; "my young Danish friend is not
supplied with evening dress, and I thought he might feel a trifle less
strange, where everything must strike with the force of novelty a lad
of seventeen, if I appeared as he has usually seen me."

"You are the same thoughtful, considerate old John," said his mother,
proud of her son's kind heart; "but I do think, John, you look better
than when you left."

"I am better," said John. "The fare at the little Danish parsonage was
simple and good. At first I missed a few things that I was accustomed
to here, but the excellence of the quality of everything at the
Pastor's soon made me forget them. I think, too, my mother, I have
learnt much. The simplicity with which the Danish Pastor did his work
with exact conscientiousness interested me. There was never a thought
of postponing a duty under any circumstances. There was never a
thought that a duty done was a sacrifice of self, but his duty was
done with a serious singleness of purpose and thorough trust in God,
that had a strong influence on his parishioners. They saw he was
sincere and true."

"You are drawing a good picture of the Pastor, John," said his mother;
"but," she added in a whisper, as John took her into dinner, "what
about the Scandinavian princess?"

"I will tell you all about her after you have seen her photograph,"
said John. "I will give it you when you go into the library after
dinner. I will give Karl Lindal some English to read, as he must lose
no time in acquiring the language."

Karl Lindal felt awkward and uneasy at dinner. The novelty of
everything so occupied him that he was the more gauche in manner. This
Mrs. Hardy observed, and said little to him. I