red, and Froken Helga's influence over them is complete. Her
leaving her father would leave him unassisted, and his two sons
without the influence she alone possesses. She knows and sees this,
and would sacrifice her life to her sense of duty. If she cared for
me, there would be no difference; that would be sacrificed too. I can
assure you that I shall never bring any one to Hardy Place that my
mother cannot receive as her daughter. The kind affection and care you
have always shown me is dearer to me than houses and land and wealth
or the strongest feelings of selfishness.

"I hope, dear mother, that this will set your mind at rest.

"If you wish me to come home, I will do so; but I wish to stay longer,
and when you see there is no real cause for anxiety, you may have no
objection. The days pass pleasantly here. I teach the two boys English
every day. They fish with me for trout in the river, the Gudenaa, and
we make excursions together, and occasionally we visit a Danish family
in the neighbourhood; and the genuine kindness I receive everywhere
interests me. In the evenings Pastor Lindal is conversational, and his
conversation is like his sermons, always fresh. There is no one
thought harped upon and torn to tatters. To say he is a man of
original thought would not describe him--it is individuality and
simplicity; there is nothing extraordinary or unusual, but a clearness
of colour, like a diamond, which is the more valuable when it has no
colour."

John Hardy wrote a little more on home affairs at Hardy Place, and
closed his letter.

In the evening, when the Pastor's pipe was as usual lighted by his
daughter, Hardy asked him as to the superstitions in Denmark, and if
they then were prevalent and had any force.

"They are endless," said the Pastor, "and in every conceivable
direction. There is no land so full of traditional superstition as
Jutland."

"When in Norway," said Hardy, "the superstition that struck me most
was that of the Huldr, who in different districts was differently
described. Generally the Huldr was described as a tall fair woman,
with a yellow bodice and a blue skirt, with long fair yellow hair
loose over the shoulders; but she was as hollow as a kneading trough,
and had a cow's tail. She was described as coming to the Saeter farms
on the fjelds, after they were vacated by the Norwegian farmers, with
a quantity of cattle and milking cans; and I have heard the cattle
call sang by Norwegians tha