she exclaimed, laughingly. "And you think
she is likely to be in this neighborhood?"

"I don't know," he answered; "and I don't
care if she isn't."

He spread his jacket on the grass, and sat
down on the spot where he had sat the night
before. Brita looked at him in surprise and
remained silent; she didn't know how to interpret
this second visit.

"You are very handsome," he said, suddenly,
with a gravity which left no doubt as to his
sincerity.

"Do you think so?" she answered, with a
merry laugh. He appeared to her almost a
child, and it never entered her mind to feel
offended. On the contrary, she was not sure but
that she felt pleased.

"I have thought of you ever since yesterday,"
he continued, with the same imperturbable
manner. "And if you were not angry with me, I
thought I would like to look at you once more.
You are so different from other folks."

"God bless your foolish talk," cried Brita,
with a fresh burst of merriment. "No, indeed