come insensible,
and before sunset had departed.

Rolf had continued his kind offices to the old couple with the utmost
respect and propriety, to the end refusing to go out of call during the
last few days of Ulla's decline: but he had observed, with some anxiety,
that there was certainly a shoal of herrings in the fiord, and that it
was high time he was making use of the sunny days for his fishing. In
order to go about this duty without any delay, when again at liberty, he
had brought the skiff up to the beach for repair, and had it nearly
ready for use by the day of the funeral. The family boat was too large
for his occasions, now that Hund was not here to take an oar: and he
expected to do great things alone in the little manageable skiff.

When he had assisted Peder to lay Ulla's head in the grave, and guided
him back to the house, Rolf drew Erica's arm within his own, and led her
away, as if for a walk. No one interfered with them; for the family
knew that their hearts must be very full, and that they must have much
to say to each other, now that the event had happened which was to cause
their marriage very soon. They would now wait no longer than to pay
proper respect to Ulla's memory, and to improve the house and its
furniture a little, so as to make it fit for the bride.

Rolf would have led Erica to the beach; but she begged to go first to
see the grave again, while they knew that no one was there. The grave
was dug close by the little mound beneath which Henrica lay. Henrica's
was railed round, with a paling which had been fresh painted--a task
which Erlingsen performed with his own hands every spring. The
forget-me-not, which the Nordlanders plant upon the graves of those they
love, overran the hillock, and the white blossoms of the wild strawberry
peeped out from under the thick grass; so that this grave looked a
perfect contrast to that of Ulla, newly-made and bare. The lovers
looked at this last with dissatisfaction.

"It shall be completely railed in before to-morrow night," said Rolf.

"But cannot we dress it a little now? I could transplant some
flower-roots presently, and some forget-me-not from Henrica's hillock,
if we had sods for the rest. Never mind spoiling any other nook. The
grass will soon grow again."

Rolf's spade was busy presently; and Erica planted and watered till the
new grave, if it did not compare with the child's, showed tokens of
care, and promise of beauty.

"Now,