"
"No sword will be drawn on my side, I assure you, sir," said Errington,
advancing and laying one hand on the _bonde's_ shoulder. "I hope you
will believe me when I say I shall esteem it an honor and a privilege to
know more of you."
"And though you won't accept me as a servant of Odin," added Lorimer,
"you really cannot prevent me from trying to make myself agreeable to
you. I warn you, Mr. Gueldmar, I shall visit you pretty frequently! Such
men as you are not often met with."
Olaf Gueldmar looked surprised. "You really mean it?" he said. "Nothing
that I have told you affects you? You still seek our friendship?"
They both earnestly assured him that they did, and as they spoke Thelma
rose from her low seat and faced them with a bright smile.
"Do you know," she said, "that you are the first people who, on visiting
us once, have ever cared to come again? Ah, you look surprised, but it
is so, is it not, father?"
Gueldmar nodded a grave assent.
"Yes," she continued demurely, counting on her little white fingers, "we
are three things--first, we are accursed; secondly, we have the evil
eye; thirdly, we are not respectable!"
And she broke into a peal of laughter, ringing and sweet as a chime of
bells.
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