is the last point of beauty; nothing
but lonely fields, with here and there a cairn, extend to the horizon.

The clear summer's night attracted their gaze upward; the postilion blew
his horn, and the carriage rolled toward the town of Roeskilde, the St.
Denis of Denmark, where kings turn to dust; where Hroar's spring still
flows, and its waters mingle with those of Issefjords.

They drove to a public-house to change horses. A young girl conducted
the friends into the public room; she lighted the way for them. Her
slender figure and her floating gait drew Wilhelm's attention toward
her; his hand touched her shoulder, she sprang aside and fixed her
beautiful grave eyes upon him; but their expression became milder, she
smiled and colored at the same time.

"You are the sister of little Jonas!" cried Wilhelm, recognizing the
young girl he had seen with him at Christmas.

"I must also thank you," said she, "for your kindness toward the poor
boy!" She quickly placed the lights on the table, and left the room with
a gentle glance.

"She is beautiful, very beautiful!" exclaimed Wilhelm. "That was really
quite a pleasant meeting."

"Is it then you, Herr Baron, who honor me thus?" cried the host,
stepping in--an elderly man with a jovial countenance. "Yes, the Baron
will doubtless visit his dear relations in hunch? It is now some little
time since you were there."

"This is our host!" said Wilhelm to Otto. "He and his wife were born
upon my parent's estate."

"Yes," said the host, "in my youth I have shot many a snipe and wild
duck with the Herr Baron's father. But Eva should spread the table; the
gentlemen will certainly take supper, and a glass of good punch the Herr
Baron will certainly not despise, if he is like his blessed father."

The young girl spread the cloth in an adjoining room.

"She is pretty!" Wilhelm whispered to the old man.

"And just as pious and innocent as she is pretty!" returned he; "and
that is saying much, as she is a poor girl, and from Copenhagen. She is
of good service to us, and my wife says Eva shall not leave us until she
is well married."

Wilhelm invited the host to join them at a glass. The old man became
more animated, and now confided to him, half mysteriously, what made Eva
so honorable in the eyes of his wife, and what was, indeed, really very
nice of her. "My old woman," said he, "was in Copenhagen, in search of a
waiting-girl. Yes, there are enough to be had, and they are fine