e stood
and shouted "Hurrah!" From here she could see only the last strip of
cultivated land on the farther side of their valley; and on this side
the upper margin of the forest, above it stretches of heather, and
where she stood, nothing but boulders and flat rocks. She flew from
stone to stone in the light air. She knew that Hans's hut lay in the
direction of the snow mountain whose top stood out above all the
others, and presently she thought that she must be getting near it. To
get a better look around she climbed up on to an enormous stone, and
from the top of it she saw a mountain lake just below. Whether it was
a rock or a hut she saw by the water's edge she could not be sure; one
minute it looked like a hut, the next like a big stone. But she knew
that his cabin lay by a mountain lake. Yes, that must be it, for there
came a boat rowing round the point. Two men were in the boat--they
must be Hans and the German officer. Down she jumped and off again.
But what had looked so near was really far off, and she ran and ran,
excited by the thought of meeting Hans Haugen.

Hans sat quietly in his boat with the German, ignorant of all the
disturbance he had caused. _He_ had never known what it was to be
frightened; nor had he ever till now known the feeling of being in
love. As soon as he did feel it, it was intolerable to him until he
had settled the matter. Now it was settled, and he was sitting there
setting words to the Bridal March!

He was not much of a poet, but he made out something about their ride
to church, and the refrain of every verse told of their meeting in the
wood. He whistled and fished and felt very happy; and the German
fished away quietly and left him in peace.

A halloo sounded from the shore, and both he and the bearded German
looked up and saw a girl waving. They exchanged a few words and rowed
ashore. Hans jumped out and tied up the boat, and they lifted out the
guns, coats, fish, and fishing tackle; the German went away towards
the cabin, but Hans with his load came up to Beret, who was standing
on a stone a little way off.

"Who are you?" he asked gently.

"Beret, Mildrid's sister," she answered, blushing, and he blushed too.
But the next moment he turned pale.

"Is there anything the matter?"

"No! just that you must come. She can't bear to be left alone just
now."

He stood a minute and looked at her, then turned and went towards the
hut. The German was standing outside, hanging up