Ticket No. 9672 | Page 3

Poor Ole! What did he say in this letter? Doubtless that he loved Hulda

as faithfully and truly as Hulda loved him, that they were united in
thought, in spite of the distance that separated them, and that he longed
for the day of his return to Dal.
Yes, he said all this, Hulda was sure of it. But perhaps he might add
that the day of his return was near at hand--that the fishing cruise which
had enticed the inhabitants of Bergen so far from their native land, was
nearly at an end. Perhaps Ole would tell her that the "Viking" had
finished taking aboard her cargo, that she was about to sail, and that the
last days of April would not pass without a blissful meeting in the
pleasant home at Vesfjorddal. Perhaps, too, he would assure her, at last,
that she might safely appoint the day for the pastor to come to Moel to
unite them in the little chapel whose steeple rose from a small grove
not a hundred yards from Dame Hansen's inn.
To learn all this, it might only be necessary to break the seal, draw out
Ole's letter, and read it, through the tears of joy or sorrow that its
contents would be sure to bring to Hulda's eyes, and doubtless more
than one impatient girl of the south, or even of Denmark or Holland,
would already have known all! But Hulda was in a sort of a dream, and
dreams terminate only when God chooses to end them, and how often
one regrets them, so bitter is the reality.
"Is it really a letter from Ole that your brother has sent you, my
daughter?" inquired Dame Hansen.
"Yes; I recognize the handwriting."
"Well, are you going to wait until to-morrow to read it?"
Hulda took one more look at the envelope, then, after slowly breaking
the seal, she drew out the carefully written letter, which read as
follows:
"Saint-Pierre-Miquelon, March 17th, 1862.
"My Dearest Hulda,--You will hear, with pleasure, that our fishing
venture has prospered, and that it will be concluded in a few days. Yes;

we are nearing the end of the season, and after a year's absence how
glad I shall be to return to Dal and find myself in the midst of the only
friends I have in the world--yours and mine.
"My share in the profits of the expedition amounts to quite a handsome
sum, which will start us in housekeeping. Messrs. Help Bros., the
owners of the ship, have been informed that the 'Viking' will probably
return by the 15th or 20th of May; so you may expect to see me at that
time; that is to say, in a few weeks at the very longest.
"My dear Hulda, I trust to find you looking even prettier than at my
departure, and in the best of health, you and your mother as well, also
that hardy, brave comrade, my cousin Joel, your brother, who asks
nothing better than to become mine.
"On receipt of this, give my very best respects to Dame Hansen--I can
see her now, sitting in her wooden arm-chair by the old stove in the big
hall--and tell her I love her with a twofold love, for she is my aunt as
well as your mother.
"Above all, don't take the trouble to come to Bergen to meet me, for it
is quite possible that the 'Viking' will arrive at an earlier date than I
have mentioned. However that may be, my dear Hulda can count upon
seeing me at Dal twenty-four hours after we land. Don't be too much
surprised if I should arrive considerably ahead of time.
"We have had a pretty rough time of it, this past winter, the weather
having been more severe than any our fishermen have ever encountered;
but fortunately fish have been plenty. The 'Viking' brings back nearly
five thousand quintals, deliverable at Bergen, and already sold by the
efforts of Help Bros. And last, but not least, we have succeeded in
selling at a handsome profit, and I, who have a share in the venture,
will realize something quite handsome from it.
"Besides, even if I should not bring a small competence home with me,
I have an idea, or rather, I have a presentiment that it is awaiting me on
my return. Yes; comparative wealth, to say nothing of happiness! In
what way? That is my secret, my dearest Hulda, and you will forgive

me for having a secret from you! It is the only one! Besides, I will tell
you all about it. When? Well, as soon as an opportunity offers--before
our marriage, if it should be delayed by some unforeseen
misfortune--afterward, if I return at the appointed time, and you
become my wife within a week