tone in which to converse with Rebecca, fancied that the girl
started at Miss Frederica's words.

"You are very fond of the violets?" he said, softly.

She looked up at him in surprise; how could he possibly know that?

"Don't you think, Miss Hartvig, that it would be better to pick the
flowers just as we are starting, so that they may keep fresher?"

"As you please," she answered, shortly.

"Let's hope she'll forget all about it by that time," said Max
Lintzow to himself, under his breath.

But Rebecca heard, and wondered what pleasure he could find in
protecting her violets, instead of picking them for that handsome
girl.

After they had spent some time in admiring the limitless prospect,
the party left the Knoll and took a foot-path downward towards the
beach.

On the smooth, firm sand, at the very verge of the sea, the young
people strolled along, conversing gayly. Rebecca was at first quite
confused. It seemed as though these merry towns-people spoke a
language she did not understand. Sometimes she thought they laughed
at nothing; and, on the other hand, she herself often could not
help laughing at their cries of astonishment and their questions
about everything they saw.