se bushes
widely distributed, and in the whole valley of roses scarcely a dozen
roses in bloom at a time of the year when there should be abundance."

"More roses might be planted, Herr Hardy," said Helga; "but your view
would be to plant a straight row of standards, with a gravel walk down
the middle."

"You are like Kirstin, always imputing evil to me," said Hardy. "Such
a walk would destroy the natural effect of the valley, and would be a
sin to do."

Helga started. She did not know that Hardy was ignorant of Kirstin's
conduct towards him. The Pastor, with his delicate instinct, at once
saw that Hardy was ignorant of Kirstin's tale of shame, or he would
not have referred to it.

"Whatever Hardy does, Helga," said the Pastor, "will be thoughtfully
done."

"No doubt of it," said Helga; "he is a cool and calculating
Englishman." She was vexed at the illusion to Kirstin.

When they came close to the mansion, Hardy said, "Now, here the
grounds do not require alteration, provided they were always covered
with snow, which, however frequent, is not what we can fall back upon
in a summer residence, which Rosendal is. There is the straight drive
up to the door steps, a clump of bushes each side of a bit of meadow
grass, and that is all; and there is a straight view from the house to
the lake, there is no break or change, nothing catches the eye except
the tethered cows. It is like the toy houses made at Leipsic for
children to play with. Surely a change that introduces a thought of
beauty in the landscape would not be destructive to Rosendal, Froken
Helga."

"You appear, Herr Hardy, to find fault with everything Danish," said
Helga, sharply; "our horses are inferior, our houses are, and even our
gardens are."

"But I never said you were," broke in Hardy, with a laugh.

"No; but I see you think it," retorted Helga. "You have heard me say
that I like Rosendal as it is, and you exhibit your English ideas to
show how uncivilized and wanting in taste I am."

"But are you not imputing evil," said Hardy, "like Kirstin, the
grossly suspicious?"

Helga blushed and said nothing, and Pastor Lindal determined to tell
Hardy what Kirstin had imputed to him.

As Garth brought round the horses and a man led out Buffalo, Karl was
struck with a great wish to ride the English horse. He asked Hardy
hesitatingly. Hardy told him to ask his father, who looked at Hardy.

"The horse is likely to give him a fall," he said, "and he mig