Part 17 (1/2)

Without speaking, but overwhelmed with her joyful emotions, she cast herself in Gottlieb's arms, and never was there a purer embrace given or returned than on this occasion. With tender gentleness Gottlieb imprinted his second kiss upon her lips, and then said softly:--

”Poor Nanna, poor child, you have at least one friend in your adversity.”

”Then Gottlieb is acquainted with--” She blus.h.i.+ngly withdrew herself from his embrace. She had not thought that her greeting had been contrary to customary usage.

”Yes, I know your sorrow; and you may rest a.s.sured that I will give myself no rest, during the few days that I remain here, until I see your father at liberty and safely in his own house again.”

”O, if that were but possible!” she clasped her hands and lifted her eyes, confidingly, to the face of her youthful friend.

”It shall be possible, Nanna. You have my word for it. If I had been here it would not have happened.”

”I thought so. An inner voice told me that if _he_ would only come to us all would be well again.”

”I am grateful for your confidence and shall always remember it with pleasure.”

”Remember it!” exclaimed Nanna, ”are you going to leave us again?”

Nanna again clasped her hands, and this action and the mournful expression of her countenance spoke more than words could have expressed.

”Will you miss me, Nanna?”

”Always.”

”And perhaps wish we had never met?” inquired Gottlieb earnestly.

”Ah, no,” replied Nanna warmly, ”the remembrance of you will perhaps work a happier future for me than I would have had without it.”

”But tell me,” said Gottlieb changing the subject to one less dangerous, ”why did not your sister apply to the proprietor of Almvik.”

”O, she would never apply to him. She would rather allow things to take their own course.”

”Why so?”

”I know not whether I dare tell you. Papa and Magde, consider me a mere child, yet I can understand that Mr. H---- has sought her with wrong motives, and if I can believe my brother, Carl--”

”What then?” interrupted Gottlieb eagerly.

”Then I can believe that all of our troubles have originated in the fact that Magde refused to give that gentleman a kiss when he requested it.”

”What, did he wish to purchase a kiss?”

”Yes, for Carl's pardon,” and now Nanna related every circ.u.mstance connected with the theft of the game, in nearly the same words in which she had heard it from Carl.

After a short season of reflection, during which he compared the different circ.u.mstances, Gottlieb arrived at the same conclusion that Carl had expressed to his sister; and at the same time he also fancied that he had discovered a method for old Mr. Lonner's release, which could not fail of success. In the meantime he merely inquired whether Mr. Fabian H---- had visited the cottage since his discomfiture.

”I have several times observed him prowling about the premises,” replied Nanna; ”he probably hoped to have an opportunity of seeing Magde alone, which however he has never had, for even should he offer his a.s.sistance, she would not have dared to accept it, for if she did, Ragnar would be very angry.”

When Gottlieb returned to Almvik, he learned that his worthy uncle, whom as he before knew had left the house early that morning, was not expected to return until late in the evening. In consequence of this unfortunate circ.u.mstance, Gottlieb saw nothing before him except a vexatious delay in his intended operations; but it soon entered his mind that Mr. Fabian's absence might be connected in some degree with his wayward love. The day on which he had visited Magde, in order to take advantage of Carl's theft, he had also departed from Almvik in the morning, for during the evening hours his wife was invariably on the watch.