"I thought that you might prefer that the breakfast should be ready, and I ordered it yesterday. I sent a note up last night," said Hardy. The breakfast was the more enjoyed from Hardy's thoughtfulness, so much so that when the inevitable porcelain pipe was filled, it was a difficulty to get the Pastor down the Himmelbjerg. When they at last reached the carriage, which a man from the hotel at Silkeborg had driven, as Garth had charge of Buffalo, the Pastor decided to go in the carriage, and not by Hardy's side. Helga, after seeing her father comfortable, got up by Hardy, and talked to him unreservedly. The bright ripple of Helga's talk was pleasant to hear in its clear transparency. She told Hardy of her father so long as she could recollect, and the great sorrow that fell upon him when her mother died, and how difficult it was to keep him from the bitter memory of his loss; that she was with him at every spare moment, and how at times it was beyond her power to cheer him; but that since Hardy had been with them, her father had scarcely shown a sign of the sorrow they knew was always at his heart. "It is the way you listen," said Helga, "that my father likes. You cannot, he says, speak Danish as well as we Danes, but your manner of listening is perfect, and that there is a respectful attention impossible to describe." "I can describe it," said Hardy, laughing. "The fact is, I know Danish not very perfectly, and my whole attention is necessary to grasp what is said." "I told him so," said Helga; "but he said there is more than that--it was true politeness." "Well," said Hardy, "you have now explained that you have not so good an opinion of me as your father." "No," said Helga; "that's not my meaning. I only related what passed, and I am not able to judge any one like my father." "I have heard, however, that you have differed from your father in judging a particular person," said Hardy, "and a man whom your father speaks well of." "That is Kapellan Holm," said Helga, quickly, "My father has told you about him?" "Yes," replied Hardy; "but I do not wish you to tell me any more about him, and to prevent your thoughts being occupied by the Kapellan, would you like to drive a few miles?" "Gladly," replied Helga, using the pretty Danish phrase that so well expressed her meaning. She insisted on taking off her gloves to drive, and said she could not feel the reins so well, and disliked wearing gloves in hot weather. Hardy showed her how to hold the reins so as to feel the horses' mouth slightly. She appeared to like to hear the quick sound of the horses trotting. "How easily they go! There is no difficulty in slackening or quickening their speed, and they obey the least touch on the rein," said Helga. "We have been training them for my mother to drive, and Garth drives well," said Hardy. "I should so like to learn to ride!" said Helga, carried away by her admiration of the horses.