e most approved sort. Alma had chosen for herself a rustic sofa,
with a round stone table before her, and behind her the trunk of a huge
linden, with its branches towering high over her head. Opposite her
was Nono, on a long bench, awaiting the opening of the Bible and the
big book that lay beside it. Alma, tall, and fair, and slight, looked
seriously at Nono, small, and dark, and plump, sitting expectant, with
his large eyes fixed upon her.

Alma paused a moment, and then looked towards one of the grass plots
that made green divisions in the well-kept vegetable-garden. There sat
Uncle Pelle, his round woollen cap on his head, his red flannel sleeves
drawn down to his wrists, while his coat lay over his knees. Uncle
Pelle was very careful of his health. He did not want to be a trouble
and a burden to Karin. He held a little, thin, worn book, over which
he was intently poring. He did not look up until Alma spoke his name.
Perhaps she had thought that he might be feeling lonely there by
himself, or perhaps she fancied that she had prepared too rich a dish
of instruction for little Nono to receive alone. At least she had
sprung hastily towards the old man. "What are you reading here by
yourself, Uncle Pelle?" she said pleasantly.

Pelle turned to the title-page, showing it to her, and then placed the
book in her hand, open to where he had been reading. Her eye fell on
the passage his long finger pointed out to her. "Use your zeal first
towards yourself, and then wisely towards your neighbour. It is no
great virtue to live in peace with the gentle and the peaceable, for
that is agreeable to every one. It is a great grace and a vigorous and
heroic virtue to live peaceably with the hard, the bad, the lawless,
and with them who set themselves in opposition to us." Alma's eyes
flashed along the lines, and her conscience pricked her with a sharp
prick. She handed the book back to old Pelle, and said quite
modestly,--

"I was going to give Nono a little lesson there under the tree. I have
some nice Scripture pictures, too, that you would perhaps like to see."

"Thanks," said old Pelle, getting up slowly, and falteringly following
the slight figure that flitted on before him.

Pelle took his seat beside Nono. They both clasped their hands and
closed their eyes. Alma was taken by surprise. She saw what they
expected before this "Bible lesson"--a prayer, of course! No prayer
came to her lips. "God help us