"O, Carl, how strangely you tell your story!" exclaimed Magde, "you ought first to have related how it happened, and—"
Magde flushed and paled alternately, and in her excitement could scarcely express herself.
"Can there be any truth in this?" said Ragnar, and his eyes sparkled.
Magde had now recovered her presence of mind, and related, without concealing a single fact, all that had happened between herself and Mr. Fabian.
"I am now firmly convinced that this—this—no matter, that Mr. H—— was the prime cause of our father's imprisonment."
"He was," interrupted old Mr. Lonner. "I am as firmly convinced of it, as I am that the young man of whom I have spoken was the cause of my release. I wish you were acquainted with Mr. Gottlieb. He is a worthy young man."
"I will tell him so in the letter I shall write him; but what if he entertained the same desire that influenced Mr. H——."
"Fear not for me, at least," replied Magde, casting a roguish look towards Nanna.
"Ah! that is singular indeed; but after all Nanna will bear a pretty close inspection—but I cannot drive that Mr. Fabian from my mind."
"First you must tell us some of your adventures," and Magde's countenance wore such an entreating expression that her husband understood her immediately; and therefore as long as he remained in the presence of his father, and his sister and brother, he continued speaking of all the singular things he had seen and heard, which was listened to by a pleased and expectant audience.