finished this ejaculation, she was at the door of her
room. She opened it--entered--and stood dumb with astonishment. Were her
senses yet confused, or did she now first wake out of year-long dreams?
She saw herself again in that little room in which she had spent so many
years of her youth, in that little room which she herself had fitted
up, had painted and embellished, and had often described to Harald;--and
there by the window stood the little Hulda's bed, with its flowery
coverlet, and blue muslin hangings. This scene caused the blood to rush
violently to Susanna's heart, and, out of herself, she cried--"Hulda! my
little Hulda!"

"Here I am, Sanna! Here is thy little Hulda!" answered the clear joyous
voice of a child, and the coverlet of the bed moved, and an angelically
beautiful child's head peeped out, and two small white arms stretched
themselves towards Susanna. With a cry of almost wild joy Susanna sprang
forward, and clasped the little sister in her arms.

Susanna was pale, wept and laughed, and knew not for some time what went
on around her. But when she had collected herself, she found herself
sitting on Hulda's bed, with the child folded in her arms, and over the
little, light-locked head, lifted itself a manly one, with an expression
of deep seriousness and gentle emotion.

"Entreat, Susanna, little Hulda," said Harald, "that she bestow a little
regard on me, and that she does not say nay to what you have granted me;
beg that I may call little Hulda my daughter, and that I may call your
Susanna, my Susanna!"

"Oh, yes! That shalt thou, Susanna!" exclaimed little Hulda, while she,
with child-like affection, threw her arms about Susanna's neck, and
continued zealously: "Oh, do like him, Susanna! He likes thee so much;
that he has told me so often, and he has himself brought me hither to
give thee joy. And seest thou this beautiful necklace he has given me,
and he has promised to tell me such pleasant stories in winter. He can
tell so many, do you know! Hast thou heard about Rypan in Justedale,
Sanna? He has told me that! And about the good lady who went about after
the Black Death, and collected all the motherless little children, and
was a mother to them. Oh, Sanna! Do like him, and let him be my father!"

Susanna let the little prattler go on without being able to say a word.
She buried her face in her bosom, and endeavoured to collect her
confused thoughts.

"Susanna," prayed Harald, restlessly and