For the matter of that, she might as well have threatened to go with him
to the moon; but Salvé understood her to mean by the Maritime Court the
bloodiest course she knew.

As she opened the door to let him out, she said with a certain
confidential seriousness--"Tell me, Salvé! has anything passed between
you and Elizabeth?"

He seemed uncertain for a moment what reply he should make to this
unexpected invitation of confidence. At length he said--

"I don't know, Mother Kirstine, for certain; two years ago, I made her a
present of a pair of shoes."

"You did!--well, see now and get on board again without any one noticing
you--that's my advice," she replied, without allowing herself to be
brought any further into the matter, and pushed him then rather
unceremoniously out of the door.

After he had gone she sat for a while with the light in her lap, staring
at it and nodding her head reflectively.

"He's a good and a handsome lad that Salvé," she said at last, aloud.
"But on the whole it will be better to tell Elizabeth, and then she can
be on her guard there in the house;" and having come to this decision
she rose from her seat and prepared to go to bed again.

Salvé, notwithstanding this interview, was far from being at ease next
day, and he felt the courage he had mustered up, to go straight to
Elizabeth with the dress and ring, altogether gone.