orse is as good as
another for you."

"Well, well, we'll see," growled the proprietor, but pleased,
nevertheless, to see his daughter, like himself, fond of horses.

At dinner the conversation turned on Rosendal, which the Jensens had
heard Hardy had purchased.

"It is a pretty place," said the proprietor, "but the farm is not
much. But why did you buy it? It cannot be as a speculation, as the
price is excessive."

"He intends to marry Helga Lindal and live there so that she will not
be too far from her father, to whom she is so much attached," said
Mathilde Jensen, laughing. "I can explain it all for him."

"Thank you, for disposing of my affairs so nicely," said Hardy; "you
have saved me a good deal of explanation."

"Yes, but Pastor Lindal's daughter is going to marry the Kapellan
(curate) he once had, a Kapellan Holm. She refused him, but her father
wishes it, as Holm is a good man," said Fru Jensen.

"In Denmark, you must know," said the proprietor, "that it is the
custom for a Pastor's daughter always to marry the Kapellan."

Hardy understood now the secret of Froken Helga Lindal's manner. She
was attached to this Kapellan Holm.

"But what are you going to do with Rosendal?" asked Herr Jensen. "It
is a matter of interest to us; it is not far, and we should like such
a neighbour as Herr Hardy."

"The first thing I intend to do is to improve the grounds and repair
the house, but I do not contemplate making much alteration."

"I should so like to see Rosendal!" said Mathilde Jensen; and her
younger sister, Marie Jensen, expressed the same wish.

"Why, you have seen it again and again," said their mother. "You want
Herr Hardy to take you."

"So we do, little mother," said both the girls, "and we want him to
let us ride his horses."

"Snak!" said their father. The Danish word "snak" has its peculiar
expressive force, its meaning in English being that nonsense is being
talked.

"Garth shall bring over both horses to-morrow," said Hardy, "and I
will ride over; and I dare say Herr Jensen will accompany us, and lend
my man a horse, as we should want him at Rosendal. If you assent, I
will send a message to the bailiff, as you might like a little
refreshment there."

"A most excellent plan, Herr Hardy!" exclaimed Froken Mathilde; "but
it leaves little mother home alone, which is the only fault in it. But
you will drive, won't you, little father, and take mother and Herr
Hardy's groom?"

Of course ever