abated than increased.

They were again friends, but regarding Eva not one word more was said.

"I should not be an honest and true friend to him, were I to let him
be swallowed up by this whirlpool!" said Otto to himself, when he was
alone. "At present he is innocent and good but at his age, with his gay
disposition!--I must warn Eva! soon! soon! The snow which has once
been trodden is no longer pure! Wilhelm will scarcely forgive me! But I
must!"

On the morrow it was impossible for him to travel to Roeskelde, but the
following day he really would and must hasten thither.

Still, in the early morning hour, Eva occupied his thoughts; she busied
Wilhelm's also, but in a different way: but they agreed in the purity of
their intentions. There was still a third, whose blood was put in motion
at the mention of her name, who said: "The pretty Eva is a servant
there! One must speak with her. The family can make an excursion there!"

"You sweet children!" said the merchant's wife, "the autumn is charming,
far pleasanter than the whole summer! The father, should the weather
remain good, will make an excursion with us to Lethraborg the day after
to-morrow. We will then walk in the beautiful valley of the Hertha, and
pass the night at Roeskelde. Those will be two delightful days! What an
excellent father you have! But shall we not invite Mr. Thostrup to go
with us? We are so many ladies, and it looks well to have a few young
gentlemen with us. Grethe, thou must write an invitation; thou canst
write thy father's name underneath."

CHAPTER XXV

"These poetical letters are so similar to those of Baggesen,
that we could be almost tempted to consider the news of his
death as false, although so well affirmed that we must
acknowledge it."--Monthly Journal of Literature.

"She is as slender as the poplar-willow, as fleet as the
hastening waters. A Mayflower odorous and sweet."--H. P.
HOLST.

"Ah, where is the rose?"--Lulu, by GUNTELBURG.

The evening before Otto was to travel with the merchant's family to
Roeskelde he called upon the family where Miss Sophie was staying. Her
dear mamma had left three days before. Wilhelm had wished to accompany
him to Roeskelde, but the mother did not desire it.

"We have had a pleasure to-day," said Sophie, "a pleasure from which we
shall long have enjoyment. Have you seen the new book, the 'Letters of
a Wandering Ghost?' It is Baggesen himself in