y witness, Salve," she answered, the tears bursting into her
eyes with emotion which she tried to control, "you alone have always had
my heart--but I must first know in perfect truth what you think of me."

"The same as I think of God's angels, Elizabeth," he said from his
heart, and tried to take her hand.

"Do you know that I--was once very nearly engaged to young Beck?" she
asked, reddening, but with a steady look. "I didn't know my real self
then, but was thinking only of folly and nonsense, until I was obliged
to fly from it all."

"Your aunt has told me all about it, Elizabeth. Don't let us mention the
subject again."

"And you haven't a doubt about me in your heart? For that I never will
bear, Salve, like to-day,--I can't bear it, do you understand?" she
said, with a shake in her voice, and looking as it were down into his
very soul.

"Doubt!" he said; and for that moment, at all events, he was evidently
convinced that she had never given her real heart to any one but
himself.

A look of inexpressible happiness came into her face; he caught her into
his arms, and they stood as if they never would let go of each other
again, cheek to cheek, not speaking, not thinking even. There was
something convulsive in their embrace, as if they could not believe in
the reality of their happiness, and as if they felt an instinctive dread
that they should lose it again.

Unobserved by either of them the door had opened, and in the doorway
stood pursy Garvloit, gazing in helpless bewilderment at the scene
before him. At last Elizabeth caught sight of him, and--not with any
confusion, but only eager to communicate her happiness--exclaimed--

"It is my lover--"

"Your lover!" and he fell back a step, as if he did not know what he was
doing.

"My name is Salve Kristiansen, master of the Apollo," added Salve,
without letting her go, and feeling everything around him infinitely
small at that moment.

Garvloit turned round and shouted several times from the top of the
stairs, raising his voice at each repetition, "Andrea! Andrea!" to his
wife; and as she did not come immediately, he stumbled as fast as his
corpulence would allow him down the stairs, pausing, however, with a
vacant look upon the last step.

Madam Garvloit came out with her work in her hand, and asked what the
matter was.

"The matter is," replied her husband, dismally, "that I am ruined. There
is Elizabeth up there sitting with some skipper, God knows