ritzli, like painted, and such
round arms and legs."

"Yes, it is true, little Ritz was always a splendid little fellow, I
should like to see him again," Marianne answered good-naturedly.

This reconciled 'Lizebeth a little; in a much friendlier tone she said:
"Then come again to Upper Wood, you will have time, more than I. Then
you can look at the other, too, and can see what a pretty, straight nose
he has, that no angel could have a prettier one, and in the whole school
he is by far the brightest,--that the teacher himself says of Eduardi."

'Lizebeth always called the boys by their full names, for the shortening
of the names, Ritz and Edi, seemed to her a degrading of their names and
an injustice to her favorites.

"Yes, yes, I believe you. What a delight it must be to see such a
well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous,"
Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the
stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the
parsonage again on the top.

"What is the matter with the people?" she asked with compassion.

"I do not know what to say," was the answer, "I do not understand it all
myself."

"I thought as much, with such strangers one is never secure."

"No, no, I did not mean anything like that," Marianne opposed. "I tell
you they are the best people one could find. I would do anything for the
woman."

Marianne did not like to tell her friend what she knew and to consult
with her about things she could not comprehend, for 'Lizebeth had
evidently no love for the two and was full of distrust, and Marianne had
taken them both into her heart so that she could not bear sharp remarks
about them even from her good friend. She therefore was silent and
'Lizebeth could get nothing more out of her concerning her lodgers.

During this long talk a good deal of time had passed. 'Lizebeth rose
from the wooden bench behind the table where she and Marianne had been
sitting and was about to bid good-bye. But Marianne would not allow
that, for the friend must first drink a cup of coffee; then she was
going to walk with her. So they did, and as the two friends wandered
together through the evening, they had much to tell each other and were
very talkative; only when 'Lizebeth began to talk about the strangers in
Marianne's house, was the latter silent and hardly spoke. Where the road
went into the woods, they parted, and Marianne had to promise to return
the cal