it would gladden us to do
anything for your mother.

"We send respectful greetings to her and to yourself.

"Helga Lindal."

John translated the letter to his mother.

"Accept it, John," she said. "My maid can be driven over by Robert
Garth, the two miles you say that Rosendal is situated from the
parsonage, if she would be in the way there."

"No, my mother," said Hardy; "you do not know the language. I will go
to Rosendal, and you can certainly take your maid with you. Pastor
Lindal knows a little English, and so does his daughter. It will be a
good sign if she has been learning it in the winter; I left my
Danish-English books there, but I suggested nothing to her in this
direction."

"How simply to the point her letter is, John!" exclaimed Mrs. Hardy.
"There are no phrases about their accommodation not being so good, or
that their means are narrow; she simply says they will do their best,
and that they would be glad to do it. It is not possible to doubt
her."

"It is like her manner," said John. "I can fancy I hear the words she
writes."

Towards the middle of May, Mrs. Hardy, her son, and two women-servants
travelled overland to Jutland, from Flushing.

Robert Garth met them at the railway station, and drove them to the
parsonage.

Parson Lindal was at the door, and welcomed Mrs. Hardy with much
old-fashioned politeness. "Welcome, and glad to see you," he said in
English to her, while he warmly greeted Hardy in Danish.

Helga was standing by her father, regarding their visitor with great
interest; she had shaken hands with John Hardy, and welcomed him back
to Jutland. The Pastor introduced his daughter to Mrs. Hardy, who held
out her hand to Helga, and drew her closer and kissed her, as if she
had been her daughter.

"You are a beautiful edition of your brother Karl, Miss Lindal," she
said. "He has become a great favourite of mine, and you will be glad
to hear he is well spoken of in London."

Robert Garth drove one of the servants to Rosendal, and had orders to
fetch John Hardy in the evening, at the parsonage.

The Pastor had time for a word with Hardy, as his mother went to
change her travelling dress.

"I am glad to see you, Hardy; but what a trick you played us about the
tickets from Esbjerg! I did not like it at first, but when I thought
of your friendly intentions, I forgave you; but I cannot thank you
enough for your goodness to Karl, and your wisely placing him in
lodgings with the ch