id his rival by a few pounds, but he, in turn, was soon
distanced by an advance of several hundred dollars. The last bid was
one of eight thousand marks--and it could be explained only as the
result of positive madness, unless it was a question of national pride
on this part of an American and an Englishman.

However this may have been Hulda refused all these offers, and her
conduct excited the bitter disapproval of Dame Hansen.

"What if I should order you to sell this ticket? Yes, order you to
sell it," she said to her daughter one day.

"I should be very sorry, mother, but I should be obliged to refuse."

"But if it should become absolutely necessary, what then?"

"But how can that be possible?" asked Joel.

Dame Hansen made no reply. She had turned very pale on hearing this
straightforward question, and now withdrew, muttering some incoherent
words.

"There is certainly something wrong," remarked Joel. "There must be
some difficulty between mother and Sandgoist."

"Yes, brother, we must be prepared for some serious complications in
the future."

"Have we not suffered enough during the past few weeks, my poor Hulda?
What fresh catastrophe threatens us?"

"How long Monsieur Sylvius stays!" exclaimed Hulda, without paying
any apparent heed to the question. "When he is here I feel less
despondent."

"And yet, what can he do for us?" replied Joel.

What could there have been in Dame Hansen's past that she was
unwilling to confide to her children? What foolish pride prevented her
from revealing to them the cause of her disquietude? Had she any real
cause to reproach herself? And on the other hand, why did she endeavor
to influence her daughter in regard to Ole Kamp's ticket, and the
price that was to be set upon it? Why did she seem so eager to dispose
of it, or rather, to secure the money that had been offered for it?
Hulda and Joel were about to learn.

On the morning of the 4th Joel escorted his sister to the little
chapel where she went every morning to pray for the lost one. Her
brother always waited for her, and accompanied her back to the house.

That day, on returning, they both perceived Dame Hansen in the
distance, walking rapidly in the direction of the inn. She was not
alone. A man was walking beside her--a man who seemed to be talking in
a loud voice, and whose gestures were vehement and imperious.

Hulda and her brother both paused suddenly.

"Who is that man?" inquired Joel.

Hulda adv