matter. Receiving no answer he sprang to the stairs, and at the same moment saw the old man above moving the stone and creeping through the hole.

In one moment all the robbers were on the alert, and hurried up the stairs, unable to conceive who this nocturnal disturber could be. On seeing the old man hastening across the heath, they instantly went in pursuit of him; but the night was so dark that at only a short distance it was not possible to discern what direction he had taken; and on emerging from the thicket he had found a horse belonging no doubt to one of the gang, which he mounted, and rode off at full speed, without recollecting that the road he was taking led him farther and farther from Endrupholm.

The robbers, nevertheless, continued their pursuit, notwithstanding the start the old man had gained over them in being mounted; but he was obliged to keep the road, which traversed the heath in innumerable turns and windings, while his pursuers, acquainted with every path, constantly took short cuts, and in a few minutes one of them overtook him, and, seizing his horse's tail, twisted it tightly round his hand and called to his comrades.

The old man looking round, saw that his life depended on immediate action; he drew his sword and made a stroke at the robber. The thick darkness that enveloped them, prevented his seeing where he struck; but he heard his pursuer utter a piercing cry and fall.

He was again free, struck his horse's sides with his heels, and galloped towards the town of Varde. When he ap proached the Vase, an extensive meadow, a causeway across which led to the south gate of the town, the water from the river had so overflowed the road, that it was impassable. After a moment's consideration, the old man thought the most prudent course would be to ride to Gellerup, and remain there till the next morning; for although he had for the last few minutes heard nothing more of his pursuers, he durst not return by the same path, from fear of meeting them near the grave-mounds, which he would be obliged to pass, in order to reach his own house. He therefore turned his horse and soon after arrived at Gellerup.

Here he found all the doors shut; even in the inn every light was extinguished, and the unfortunate man was again

about leaving the town, when he saw a light glimmering in the window of a little solitary cottage. Quickly he turned his jaded horse towards it, and knocked. A young woman and a boy received him, and accorded him most cheerfully the night's lodging he desired. The girl got a lantern, that he might see to lead his horse into the stable. When it was secured for the night, and they were leaving the stable, the little boy, who had followed them, exclaimed: " Oh, see! only look at what is hanging in the horse's tail." Saying these words, the boy pulled out from the tangled hair a human hand, that had been struck off, and held it up to the lantern. The girl gave a scream, and the old man was not a little surprised at the sight of it; he knew that it must belong to the robber he had struck on the road. "See, Jane," continued the boy, who, with an inquisitive astonishment, had examined the hand, "it is my brother's hand, I know it by the scar on the thumb. And this is his gold ring."

The girl cast an angry look at the boy, and winked at him to be silent. A deadly fear now seized the old man. There could be no doubt that the inmates of this cottage stood in very close connection with the robbers. Therefore, without saying a word, he led his horse out of the stable, mounted and rode back to Varde, fearing every moment to be overtaken by the robbers.

When not far from the Vase, he made a vow to heaven that he would found a church at Varde, if he should safely pass through the waters. He then let his horse take its course, and reached the opposite side in safety.

The following day, as he was returning home, he met Kield, in the early morn, going to Endrupholm. He related that his horse while hunting had fallen with him into a ditch; there he had lain insensible and dreadfully hurt, until some peasants passing by found him, and conveyed him to a surgeon, where his wounds were dressed. His betrothed had passed a night full of fear and anxiety on his account, as well as on that of her father. The old man

seemed to have banished from his mind all unpleasant recollections of the night's adventure; he was good-humoured and cheerful as usual, and gave, as an excuse for being absent all night, that in his search for Kield, he had met a

neighbour, who with a party of friends was returning from the chase, that he had gone home with them and there passed the night.

The day after all these adventures was the birthday of the young lady, which, according to old custom at Endrupholm, was to be celebrated with great festivity. Early in the afternoon the guests assembled at the mansion. Mirth and glee prevailed everywhere. Kield alone, contrary to his usual custom, was pensive and taciturn; but his pale countenance sufficiently showed that it was the pain arising from the accident which had caused the change. Towards his betrothed he was as affectionate and tender as before. At table many a glass was emptied to the future happiness of the young couple; and after, dinner the time was pleasantly passed in relating stories and humorous dotes.

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When every one appeared to have exhausted his stock of mirth, and the conversation began to flag, the host took up the theme, and, turning to his guests, said: "I must now tell you a wonderful dream I had last night. It is the most extraordinary one I ever had." After this introduction he began to relate the events of the preceding night; how he came to the thicket by the grave-mounds, heard his name mentioned, had followed an old woman down into a cave, and had concealed himself under the bed on the arrival of the robbers. "I could not see the corpse they brought with them," said he, "but when they struck off the finger on which was the gold ring, it appeared to me, that it flew under the bed where I lay; and although the whole is but a dream, yet, nevertheless, here is the finger." At these words he drew forth the finger and placed it before him on the table.

An exclamation of surprise burst from all his hearers. But on no one did the story make so deep an impression as on Kield; he became deadly pale, and rose from his seat, for the purpose of leaving the room; but the old man held him back.

"You must remain here with us, my dear son-in-law," said he, in a friendly tone, " and hear my story to the end; the best yet remains to be told."

He then related how he had fled from the place, had

mounted a horse, had been pursued, and, lastly, the difficulties he had encountered at the Vase, which obliged him to ride up to Gellerup. "The child recognised the severed hand," continued the knight, "and exclaimed that it was his brother's. It appeared to me as if I took the hand with me, when I rode away; and although all this, as you can well imagine, is only a dream, yet I can lay the hand here before you." With these words he drew forth a human hand, that had been severed just above the wrist, and laid it on the table.

Without heeding the unspeakable surprise that seized all present, the reciter continued: "It appeared to me also that I should know it by the ring on one of the fingers, and on a nearer inspection I found that it belonged to one of my acquaintances." The old man then rising from his seat, took up the hand and threw it at Kield, who, more dead than alive, had listened to the recital. " There, Kield," exclaimed the knight, "take back your ring, and try if the hand will fit the stump you have bound up there." All the guests rose. All eyes were fixed on Kield; his arm was in a sling, the old man sprang forward, tore the bandage away, and all saw that the hand had been struck off. "At this moment," continued he, "your den is surrounded by the police of Varde, your comrades are prisoners, and I hear those approaching who will conduct you to a place more suitable to you than this."Kield was the chief of the banditti; he had courted the acquaintance of the lord of the manor, that he might have a better opportunity of leading his men into the mansion and robbing the old man of his wealth. He and his comrades were broken on the wheel and beheaded on the same mound that had so long been their retreat.

The old man, according to his vow, built the so-called 'Little Church," in Varde; and it is related, that on laying the first stone, he declared that that man should be accursed to all eternity who first attempted to demolish it.

When the church was to be pulled down a few years ago, no labourer would begin the work, before the priest had taken out the first stone from the wall.

THE AMBER-SEEKER.

MANY years before the birth of Christ, Denmark was divided into three states, namely, the Cimbric, which included Jutland; the Gothic, comprising Scania, Halland, and Bleking; and the Baltic, consisting of the islands. The rulers of these states were called judges. In the eighth

century of the Christian era, in the time of Sivart Ring, the Cimbric state was the most powerful, and subdued the other two, and at length Regnar Lodbrok united the whole land under his dominion.

It is related of Sivart Ring, that he lived in a town which he had himself built on the coast of the Western ocean, and named after him Ringkjöbing, or Ring's trading town; though some are of opinion that it derives its name from its insignificance (ringe signifying little); but be that as it may, suffice it to say, that the whole of Holmsland, which is separated from the mainland by the fiords of Stavning and Stadil, was under Sivart Ring, and that he had power over life and limb of those who lived on the island. Everything which the sea cast on shore of goods and floating wreck belonged to Sivart Ring, and it was strictly forbidden to every one to take any part of such property. In like manner, he derived a large revenue from the amber which at that time was washed ashore in much greater quantities than it is at the present day. At every ebb, after a south-west wind, Ring sent out his men to the narrow ridge or sand-bank, for the purpose of searching the beach. All that they collected was his, and the punishment was death to whomsoever carried away the smallest particle of his property.

Above this sand-bank, not far from the sea, there lived a fisherman, who had come into the neighbourhood only a few years before as a poor man, but in a short time had accumulated considerable property, without any one being able to discover by what means. Some thought he had found a treasure, which was not unlikely, as the country had formerly belonged to a powerful sea-king, who lived by plundering all the vessels which came in his way, and died on Holmsland without leaving any great property behind