long fright finds its
mother again.

"Good Heavens! What has happened?"

"I cannot tell you." Another burst of passionate weeping. Then quietly
freeing herself from Roennaug's arms, she drew back.

"But you will really come with me?"

There was heard a whispered "yes," and then renewed weeping. And Roennaug
stretched out her arms; but as Magnhild did not fly into them, she
sprang out of bed and took her joy in a practical way by beginning to
dress in great haste. There was joy, aye, triumph in her soul.

As she sat on the edge of the bed, drawing on her clothes, she took a
closer survey of Magnhild; the summer night was quite clear and light,
and Magnhild had raised a curtain, opened a window, and was now standing
by the latter. It was about three o'clock. Magnhild had on a petticoat
with a cloak thrown over it; a bundle lay on the chair, it perhaps
contained her dress. What could have happened? Roennaug went to her
parlor to finish dressing, and when Magnhild followed her, the new
traveling suit was lying spread out and was shown to her. She uttered no
word of thanks, she scarcely looked at the suit; but she sat down beside
it and her tears flowed anew. Roennaug was obliged to put the clothes on
her. As she was thus engaged, she whispered:--

"Did he try to use force?"

"That he has never done," said Magnhild; "no, there are other
things"--and now she became so convulsed with weeping that Roennaug said
no more, but finished dressing both Magnhild and herself as quickly as
possible. She hastened into the bed-chamber to awaken her American
friend, then down-stairs to rouse the people of the hotel: she wanted to
start within an hour.

She found Magnhild where she had left her.

"No, this will not do," said she. "Pray control yourself. Within an hour
we must be away from here."

But Magnhild sat still; it was as though all her energy had been
exhausted by the struggle and the resolve she had just come from.
Roennaug let her alone; she had as much as she could do to get ready.
Everything was packed, and last of all the child was wrapped in its
traveling blanket without being roused. Within an hour they and all
their belongings were actually stowed away in the carriage.

The world around them slept. They drove onward in the bright, dawning
morning, past the church. The sun was not visible; but the skies, above
the mountains to the east, were flushed with roseate hues. The landscape
lay in dark shadows, the uppe