"Then you would say, Mr. Gottlieb, that by some magic spell you have
driven away Miss Sophia's gloominess?"

"Yes, I can say Miss Sophia's also."

"_Also?_--that is a bold speech!"

"Are you angry?"

"Oh, Gottlieb!"

"Ah, Miss Nanna. Are you weeping?"

"Mr. Gottlieb may be mischievous and tantalizing enough to compel me to
do so; but this time he has not succeeded."

"Well, as I cannot force you to weep, I must confess the truth, and that
is--"

"That you have seen neither of them," interrupted Nanna.

"Not that, there you are mistaken, for I called at the parsonage one
evening with my aunt, and I was so much pleased with the young ladies,
that now I am here with you, while they are at Almvik, where they
arrived this morning. What do you think of that?"

* * * * *

What Nanna thought Gottlieb did not learn; but he soon was made
acquainted with his aunt Ulrica's opinion concerning his absence.