and the food and drink that seemed to be from another world... Karen, in her dress and her finery, was something quite other than the girl of the kitchen and the turkey — and yet, who could stand up against Dorta?

Mike whispered as he escorted her... Is he rich, this Cliff? She said: Very rich. He said: And Dorta wants to marry him?... She said: Don't blame her, for we have become poor... As for me, I hardly remember the life of plenty, for I was small... but she does... And then the farm has not given us a good income... Then she added... Do you still love her?

He answered: She was, and still is, the sweetest girl I have ever met. – And wealth?... – I can provide her a comfortable life. – Then I will try...

Try... please, Karen... You were always splendid, even when you were buried among your books and never noticed my existence. She swallowed a lump in her throat and thought: How foolish men are, and how blind!

She came home... and Dorta was one of the happiest of beings, her eyes dancing as her feet had danced an hour before. She said as she took off her clothes... They both kissed me and wished me a happy night.

And Karen said... And you were happy at that?... She said: If only Mike were as rich as Cliff... then imagine the presents — for the two of us.

Karen said: Mike is worth ten of Cliff... that is my opinion. And Dorta answered: I know it, and that is why I cried after he went away — but I could not go with him to a place full of lions and snakes. Karen cried warmly:

Dorta, you will not wound his feelings and refuse him a second time! And Dorta burst out laugh-ing, saying: One would think you loved him.

* * *

Morning shone on Karen car-rying the decorations to the church... Mike appeared, took her burden from her, and went with her there, and they began to work with energy and rev-erence... Others came to work... One of the women asked in a whisper: Where is Dorta? And another answered: Dorta is not one to help... she takes and does not give.

Everything was made ready in the church... and everything in the house... and all that Dorta had done was to set a few flowers on the dining table.

The postman came, carrying among the things he carried two presents of equal size... In a moment Dorta was opening a little blue box and taking from it a gold chain and a card on which was written “To the sweetest girl of all those I have known,” and she cried out in vexation... The sweetest girl?... He is mad... mad... Then she saw her sister's box and snatched it... In it was a necklace among the loveliest and most precious that eye ever saw, and a card on which was written “To the girl I love.”

She cried out with mockery and contempt... For you... for you?... Then it was not long before she fell to laughing loudly, saying: Don't you understand?... It is a mistake... a mistake... He mixed up the two boxes — he was always like that, so forgetful.

Karen murmured in pain: I understand. At that moment

Mike came in... and Dorta rushed to cry: Mike, you idiot, do you know what you have done? You sent the necklace to Karen and the chain to me!

Mike said: Ah... She would not let him finish, but went on crying... It was a painful thing for Karen... for a moment she thought she was the beloved girl.

Karen murmured sorrowfully... Dorta, enough. But she went on... When you were here five years ago she adored you... I even found your picture once under her pillow... and now she hoped to win you... but the chain is the one that is hers — isn't that so?

Mike was stunned... Yes, what had happened was a mistake... The salesman had warned him not to mix up the two boxes, the blue and the red... but it was he who had erred.

Karen was silent, miser-able... and Dorta laughing — hard... haughty.

And he discovered everything all at once... Dorta had always laughed at what gives pain... She was the girl created to take, not to give... Had his inner mind sensed this?... He had sat with her yesterday for an hour while she waited for him to ask for her hand, encouraging him to it — and he had not.

But tonight he had resolved to come forward, and had come early to cut off Cliff's road — and now fate played its game and the situation changed... He heard his own voice, as though it were the voice of another man, saying: Well — it is not a mistake...

There was a sudden gasp from Karen... As for Dorta, her face looked hard and strange as she