e shortest and quickest routes--she seemed to know every station
and village on the way,--she always managed to obtain relays of reindeer
just when they were needed,--in short, Errington would hardly have been
able to reach the Altenfjord without her.

He had never realized to its full extent her strong, indomitable,
devoted character, till he saw her hour after hour seated beside him in
the _pulkha_, her hands tightly gripping the reins of the horned
animals, whose ways she understood and perfectly controlled,--her
bright, bird-like eyes fixed with watchful eagerness on the bewildering
white landscape that opened out incessantly before her. Her common sense
was never at fault--she forgot nothing--and with gentle but respectful
firmness she would insist on Sir Philip's taking proper intervals of
rest and refreshment at the different farms they passed on their road,
though he, eager to press on, chafed and fretted at every little delay.
They were welcomed all along their route with true Norse hospitality,
though the good country-folk who entertained them could not refrain from
astonishment at the idea of their having undertaken such a journey at
such a season, and appeared to doubt the possibility of their reaching
their destination at all. And now that they had reached it in safety,
Britta's strength gave way. Valdemar Svensen had hastily blurted out the
news of the _bonde's_ death even while she and Sir Philip were alighting
from their sledge--and in the same breath had told them of Thelma's
dangerous illness. What wonder, then, that Britta sobbed hysterically,
and refused to be comforted,--what wonder that she turned upon Ulrika as
that personage approached, in a burst of unreasonable anger.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" she cried, "to think that the Froeken should be so
ill--almost dying! and have nobody but _you_ to attend to her!"

This, with a vindictive toss of the brown curls. Ulrika winced at her
words--she was hurt, but she answered gently--

"I have done my best," she said with a sort of grave pathos, "I have
been with her night and day--had she been a daughter of my own blood, I
know not how I could have served her with more tenderness. And, surely,
it has been a sore and anxious time with me also--for I, too, have
learned to love her!"

Her set mouth quivered,--and Britta, seeing her emotion, was ashamed of
her first hasty speech. She made an act of contrition at once by putting
her arms round Ulrika's neck and