say is, marry her, and
you will never regret it. Ask her. She is the best and truest woman I
ever met."

"Very good, mother," replied John. "I will."

That day Pastor Lindal came to dinner, and his daughter was to return
with him in the evening, to remain at home.

John Hardy asked Helga to walk through the grounds, while her father
was conversing with Mrs. Hardy, They went to a particular place that
John recollected, and he said--

"Froken, do you remember your asking me at this spot why I bought
Rosendal?"

"Yes, perfectly," said Helga, frankly; "and you said you would tell me
when your mother came."

"My reason is, and was, because you said there was no place you should
like to live at so much as Rosendal."

"Do you mean you will give it to us?" asked Helga.

"My meaning is that I will give it to you, Helga. I want you to be my
wife."

"I will, if you will wait. Hardy; my father cannot live without me
now."

"Wait!" cried Hardy; and he looked into her blue eyes. "Why, you have
loved me a long time, and never told me so! I have been in doubt and
fear."

"You never need doubt it more. Hardy," said she, saying "du" to him
for the first time. "When you came here first, I tried not to like
you; then I tried to disgust you with me, and you were so good and
manly that I loved you with all my heart. I thought," she added, "you
would have spoken to me when you proposed the driving tour to Esbjerg,
and I was so frightened."

"Yes," said Hardy, "it was in my mind, but I was a guest in your
father's house, and I had to ask my mother's blessing and support. But
tell me one thing, what was the reason that you would not tell me
about your refusing to learn to ride?"

"My reason was that I did try not to like you, and then I refused."

"I see," said Hardy, kissing what he thought the most beautiful mouth
in the world.

When they returned to the house, Mrs. Hardy saw her son's bright face,
and knew he had been accepted.

"Dear mother," said John, caressing her, "she's won."

Mrs. Hardy embraced Helga warmly, and the Pastor saw how the matter
stood, and held out his hand.

"I have understood you all along, Hardy, and you are a noble fellow.
You have my consent, willingly."

Helga was preparing to return with her father, but Mrs. Hardy
interposed.

"You can have John, Herr Pastor," she said; "but I must have my
daughter here, that I may get to know more of her. John shall go with
you, but I must have her f