What true happiness did the girl experience as she thus innocently dreamed of her future life!  Her joy was increased as she fancied herself seated in her little school-room after the close of her labors for the day.  That little room was to be a bright place in her memory forever for was it not he, her friend, who had told her that she would require some recreation after school hours, and was he not also to teach her the means for doing so?

We will not describe Nanna’s blushing confusion as she told her father of her acquaintance with Gottlieb, neither will we paint at length, the mingled sentiments of fear and hope which filled the old man’s heart as he heard his daughter’s story; but will simply remark that the meeting between old Mr. Lonner and Gottlieb was mutually gratifying, and that as is naturally the case under such circumstances, they each wished to continue the acquaintance thus pleasingly commenced.

Upon the sand in front of the cottage Magde’s children were playing in the sun, while Christine, the servant girl, was dividing her attention between her sewing work, and the baby which was reposing in a kneading trough, upon a little bed of rushes.  She would also occasionally cast her eyes towards the other children, as they dug little ditches which they filled with water brought from the house in an old kettle, and then sailed their little bark boats in these miniature canals.

In the meantime, Magde, as usual, was sitting in the parlor, weaving at her loom with such violence that the window panes rattled in their sashes.  As she was thus engaged she hummed a little song, which Ragnar during their courtship had frequently sung beneath her window as a signal that he wished to see her alone.  As Magde loved her husband above all other earthly things, his favorite song had never become discordant to her.  This song she took most pleasure in singing when she was alone, for then she could give full rein to her fancy, and look forward to the time when her loved husband should become a captain, and command an elegant schooner in which he could receive his wife, for she hoped that she might be able to take one voyage at least to Goteborg, to preside at the table in Captain Ragnar’s cabin.

Then thought she, what a great stir her appearance in the vessel would create!  “Heavens,” one would say, “what a beautiful wife our captain has!” Yes, the captain is a man of taste.  “The captain, always the captain.  O, how grand it sounded!  The captain loves her so much,” the sailors would also say, “that he scarcely takes his eyes from her, and how affectionately she looks at him!  O, it must be a happy life, to be thus married!”

While Magde was thus engaged in her pleasant reveries, the latch was lifted and the door swung open slowly.

“Mercy!  What can be Mr. H——­’s business here!” she exclaimed.

“O, do not disturb yourself,” said Mr. Fabian, for it was our valorous huntsman who thus disturbed Magde’s dreams, “I hope everything may be arranged without trouble.  I am not the man who would injure his neighbor, even if I had it in my power.”