convinced that Sara, with careful attention, befitting diet,
and above all, by being surrounded with kindness, may be called back to
life and health. But for the present she is so weak that it is
impossible to think of her travelling under several days. And in any
case, I doubt if she will come with us, unless my father come to fetch
her. She says that she will not be a burden to our family. Ah! now it is
a pleasure to open house and heart to her. She is so changed! And her
child is--a little angel! For the Assessor it might be necessary, on
account of his leg, that he go to the city; but he will not leave Sara,
who requires his help so greatly (his servant is out of all danger).
Petrea, spite of all fatigues and adventures, is quite superb. She and
Jacobi enliven us all. As things now stand we cannot fix decidedly the
day of our arrival; but if Sara continue to improve, as appearances
promise, Jacobi sets out to-morrow with the children to you. It is so
dear with them all here in the public-house. God grant that we may all
soon meet again in our beloved home!"

An hour after the receipt of this letter the Judge set off with such
haste as if his life were concerned. He journeyed from home to the
forest-village; we, on the contrary, reverse the journey, and betake
ourselves from the public-house to----

FOOTNOTES:

[21] A Day-book (Dagbok) is kept at every inn in Sweden. The name of
every traveller who takes thence horses, and the name of the next town
to which he proceeds, are entered in it; and thus when once on the
trace, nothing could be easier than to discover such a traveller. The
day-book is renewed each month.--M. H.

CHAPTER IV.

THE HOME.

Lilies were blossoming in the house on the beautiful morning of the
twentieth of September. They seemed to shoot up of themselves under
Gabriele's feet. The mother, white herself as a lily, went about softly
in her fine morning-dress, with a cloth in her hand, wiping away from
mirror or table the smallest particle of dust. A higher expression of
joy than common animated her countenance; a fine crimson tinged her
otherwise pale cheeks, and the lips moved themselves involuntarily as if
they would speak loving and joyful words.

Bergstroem adorned ante-room and steps with foliage and splendid flowers,
so that they represented a continuation of garlands along the white
walls; and not a little delighted was he with his own taste, which
Gabriele did not at all omi