ogginess of the subject. Hardy had sent Garth to his
stables with Buffalo after the race, and told him to fetch them at
Herr Jensen's Herregaard at an early hour with the carriage, and Hardy
drove himself, talking to Garth, who sat beside him. Karl and Axel had
preferred to stay to see the last festivities of the races and to walk
home, consequently Froken Helga sat by herself in the carriage, and
Hardy, after seeing her safely in and well cared for, did not address
a word to her. They drove to the parsonage, and Hardy drove to the
stables with Garth, to see Buffalo after his extra work that day, and
Hardy walked back.

The Pastor was smoking his pipe, listening to the events of the day as
described by Karl and Axel. "You won your race. Hardy," said Pastor
Lindal; "and the boys say easily."

"Yes, I won the race I rode," said Hardy.

"And, father, he would not take the cup, that is the prize he won; he
said his horse was a better horse, and gave it to the man who came in
second, and a long way behind he was," said Karl.

Froken Helga knitted, but did not look up.

"And did you not see the race, Helga?"

"Yes, father," said Helga; "and I saw Herr Hardy win it."

"But what is the matter, Helga?" asked her father, with some hardness.

"Father, I have been wrong," said Helga. "Herr Hardy said he did not
wish to risk his horse, and that he did not wish to win the race, but
that he could easily if he chose. I did not like his professing to be
so superior over us Danes, and I told him so, and that he was afraid
to ride his horse, and that he knew he would not win. I now know that
what he said was quite true, and that he has behaved well."

"You should have heard how they cheered him when he came in," said
Karl.

"I do think, Helga, if you made so insulting a speech to Herr Hardy,"
said the Pastor, with some asperity, "that it should be withdrawn. To
tell a man that he is a coward and has false pride is too galling, and
when not a single ground for it exists the more so. You might thereby
have tempted him to risk his life, to say nothing of his horse."

Helga burst into tears.

Hardy rose and held out his hand to her. "I hope," he said, "you will
think no more of this; I shall not. Your saying what you have to your
father is enough for me. I do hope you will believe me when I say that
after so frank an admission that I shall only respect the strong
national feeling that prompted you. I admit a Danish gentleman can