“Here is what I offer.”

It was a receipt for the amount of Dame Hansen’s indebtedness—­a receipt for the amount of the mortgage on the Dal property.

Dame Hansen cowered in her corner, with hands outstretched, and eyes fixed imploringly on her daughter.

“And now give me the ticket,” cried Sandgoist, “I want it to-day—­this very instant.  I will not leave Dal without it”

As he spoke he stepped hastily toward the poor girl as if with the intention of searching her pockets, and wresting the ticket from her.

This was more than Joel could endure, especially when he heard Hulda’s startled cry of “Brother! brother!”

“Get out of here!” he shouted, roughly.  And seeing that Sandgoist showed no intention of obeying, the young man was about to spring upon him, when Hulda hastily interposed.

“Here is the ticket, mother,” she cried.

Dame Hansen seized it, and as she exchanged it for Sandgoist’s receipt her daughter sunk, almost fainting, into an arm-chair.

“Hulda!  Hulda!  Oh, what have you done?” cried Joel.

“What has she done,” replied Dame Hansen.  “Yes, I am guilty—­for my children’s sake I wished to increase the property left by their father, but instead I have reduced them to poverty.  But Hulda has saved us all.  That is what she has done.  Thank you, Hulda, thank you.”

Sandgoist still lingered.  Joel perceived the fact.

“You are here still,” he continued, roughly.  And springing upon Sandgoist he seized him by the shoulders and hustled him out-of-doors in spite of his protests and resistance.

CHAPTER XV.

Sylvius Hogg reached Dal on the evening of the following day.  He did not say a word about his journey, and no one knew that he had been to Bergen.  As long as the search was productive of no results he wished the Hansen family to remain in ignorance of it.  Every letter or telegram, whether from Bergen or Christiania, was to be addressed to him, at the inn, where he intended to await further developments.  Did he still hope?  Yes, though it must be admitted that he had some misgivings.

As soon as he returned the professor became satisfied that some important event had occurred in his absence.  The altered manner of Joel and Hulda showed conclusively that an explanation must have taken place between their mother and themselves.  Had some new misfortunes befallen the Hansen household?

All this of course troubled Sylvius Hogg greatly.  He felt such a paternal affection for the brother and sister that he could not have been more fond of them if they had been his own children.  How much he had missed them during his short absence.

“They will tell me all by and by,” he said to himself.  “They will have to tell me all.  Am I not a member of the family?”

Yes; Sylvius Hogg felt now that he had an undoubted right to be consulted in regard to everything connected with the private life of his young friends, and to know why Joel and Hulda seemed even more unhappy than at the time of his departure.  The mystery was soon solved.