en
letter in his hand, and a face expressive of delighted anticipation.

'Have you spoken with old Brodin?' he anxiously asked.

'I have,' answered Arwed; and the recollection of the loss of Georgina
drew a deep sigh from his bosom.

'You are now wholly free, Arwed,' cried the uncle, with heartfelt love.
'May I hope that in a beloved nephew I may soon embrace a son-in-law?'

Arwed, perceiving whither this question must lead, foresaw the
unpleasant scene which the contest between his uncle's will and
Christine's passion would produce, and remained silent.

'Do not fear,' his uncle anxiously added, 'that your consent will be
extorted. Read this letter. Your father desires this union, but he
leaves your will free. Yet should I think, that as your beloved has
loosed the chains which bound you, you certainly would make some effort
to gratify an old man who loves you with his whole heart, and knows not
better how to secure the happiness of his only child than by placing
her hand in yours.'

'I gratefully acknowledge your paternal goodness,' answered Arwed,
evasively. 'But I beg of you to leave me time for self-examination. My
sorrow is yet new, and for Christine I may safely affirm that a union
with me is very far from her thoughts. Besides, I need time to
familiarize myself with my new position, and enable me to come to a
decision.'

'I know my daughter,' cried the uncle. 'There was for a time something
strange and adverse in her conduct which often perplexed me; but in the
main her heart is good; and a thousand trifling things have convinced
me that she likes you. Upon the word of a knight, she will not say
nay!'

'Consider at least the circumstances of the times,' said Arwed. 'The
moment when Sweden is bleeding under the swords of her enemies, when
she is struggling for her very existence, is surely no time for tying
love-knots. Besides, I am resolved to depart to-morrow morning for the
army. Should I come back after the close of the war, it will then be
time to speak of this affair.'

'_You_ going to the army!' exclaimed the uncle, with astonishment.
'Have you forgotten that you have been dismissed the service and
banished from the capital?'

'I will serve as a volunteer,' cried Arwed with patriotic zeal, 'in one
of the lowest grades--as a common soldier--if it must be so. If I may
not live for Sweden, they cannot but permit me to die for her!'

'Die! and for this queen?' asked the uncle.

'What care I for