over, Mrs. Hardy told her son to go on deck, and take
Axel with him. She then asked Helga to show her father the
dressing-case John Hardy had given her. The Pastor started when he
read the initials, "H. H." His quick apprehension realized the
position.

"Herr Pastor," said Mrs. Hardy, "our children leave us as we grow
older; and is there any better wish for them than that they should
have a happy future?"

Mrs. Hardy held out her hand, and Pastor Lindal grasped it. He
understood her, and, with the ceremonious politeness habitual to him,
raised her hand to his lips.

"I think," said Mrs. Hardy, "they can be married on the first of
August. There is no reason to delay the happiness of their young life.
They can remain near you at Rosendal for a month, and come to England
for the winter, and return to you in May."

Helga was present, and heard all Mrs. Hardy had said. She put one hand
on her father's shoulder.

"Father," she said in Danish, "I will wait your wish and time."

"Mrs. Hardy is right, Helga," said her father, "I shall miss you, but
it will be a joy to me to lose you to Hardy. He is the one man I like,
and I hope he is the one man you love."

"I can never forget how we wronged him, when Rasmussen was injured and
died, and how noble he has always been!" said his daughter. "I have
been unkind and bad to him, and I now know pained him with what I
said. Little father, what you say I should do that will I do."

"Mrs. Hardy," said the Pastor, "my daughter assents to what you
propose, and I assent. You can order the matter as you will."

"I will promise you. Pastor Lindal," said Mrs. Hardy, "that all the
time she can she shall be in Denmark, and that I will be to her as her
own mother." Mrs. Hardy held out her hand to the Pastor, and the
compact then made ever after was adhered to.

Mrs. Hardy rose, and kissed Helga on her flaxen hair. "Will you tell
John, or I?" she asked.

"I cannot," replied Helga, earnestly.

"Then, Herr Pastor," said Mrs. Hardy, "we will go on deck, and I
should like a walk about Aarhus, if you will take me, and John can
take his wife that is to be."

When Mrs. Hardy came on deck, she said to her son, "The first of
August, John; it is so settled."

John Hardy lifted his mother from the deck, and positively kissed her
in the sight of his own men and a numerous crowd of curious Danes, who
had collected to see the yacht, and f Helga had not jumped ashore, it
was not at all improbab