said that seemed to escape her. Lisette herself looked very sleek, and buxom and unmoved. No one would have thought the festivities were on her account, or that in fact she had anything to do with them. She had a broad good-tempered face, like her father's, and a clumsy short figure, that made her look much older than she really was; in fact, more like fifty than twenty. She took part in the work in her usual manner, walking about the yard with bare feet, milking the cows with Rosa, threshing in the barn, and even cleaning out the cow-house. Newton looked at her with wonder; but for the land, the cows, and the money, he felt that there was strangely little that was attractive about her, and he wondered how any man could have chosen her while the pretty Rosa was to be had. 'We must be going now, Dick,' said Newton, as the child came in with Heinrich. 6 Will you have a piece of the kuchen?' asked Frau Mässinger; it's just ready, and you can take a piece home with you. Go, Rosa, and bring the one we put in to bake first.' Rosa obeyed, while Dick, crying out, There is dear old Minette,' went and put his arms round the big dog's neck. Minette put up her face and tried to lick him. 'Good Minette; down, down!' said the boy. The cake was brought, and then some milk was wanted to drink with it; and Rosa went and fetched it and poured it out of a stone pitcher, looking so pretty all the while, that Newton found himself watching her movements with a feeling of admiration. Suddenly he looked up and his eye fell on Heinrich; he was leaning against the glass cupboard with his gaze fixed on Rosa, and Newton read something more than admiration in his look. Their eyes met, and Heinrich seemed to read the thought passing through Newton's mind; he whistled softly and walked away. 'Well, good-bye,' said Newton, as Dick held the last mouthful of his kuchen over the dog's head, and Minette seized it greedily; 'good-bye. I hope the supper will go off well; we shall look out for Lisette as she passes, and I shall come up and hear about it to-morrow.' He was just on the point of going when old Mässinger, whose wits were getting muddled with the morning's wine, filling his glass with a rather tremulous hand, exclaimed, 'Let us drink to the health of the Fräulein!' 'You're tipsy, man,' ejaculated Frau Mässinger, in sudden alarm, for Newton's presence at the Villa had been often discussed at the Mill, and she was by no means sure how far her husband's loquacity might lead him. She was relieved when she saw their guest raise his glass to his lips. But his manner was altered; a strange sort of emotion made the glass tremble in his usually steady hand, and his face was crimson. The toast had taken him by surprise. Dick, too, was there, and Dick's ears, as his friend knew, had the attribute of little pitchers, and rarely missed just what they were not intended to hear. They had scarcely got out into the valley, on their way home, before Dick began: Are you going to marry Aunt Nesta, Mr. Newton ?' No; who put that nonsense into your head?' said Newton, endeavouring to assume an air of decision. 'I don't know; only why did you drink her health and not mamma's? And Mässinger gave you such a funny look when he proposed it, and he was'nt tipsy, really. If you married Aunt Nesta, then you would be my uncle, would'nt you? and you would live with us; that would be nice.' 'Hush, Dick; you must not talk in that way. I am not going to marry anyone, and I am going away; and you must not say any more about it, or I shall be angry with you, and shall not take you with me next time I go up to Mässinger's.' Dick promised silence; it was a pleasure he was in no wise inclined to forfeit; but Newton's threat had given the incident the character of a secret, and Dick went home brimming with importance and mystery. |