ed like a maniac by the
bedside of her father. Usually so calm and moderate, she could not be
made to hear reason now.

The estate was again purchased by a baron, and the farmers bore their
feudal burdens without a murmur.

3.

Vefela moved to Ergenzingen, to live with her brother Melchior.
Nobody accompanied her from the village except Nero. Agatha died soon
after her father, and people whispered that Vefela would marry her
brother-in-law; but that was out of the question. Brenner came to
Ergenzingen several times every week. He must have raised money in some
way or other, for he was always showily dressed, and had a peculiar
confidence, almost amounting to arrogance, in his behavior to Vefela as
well as to others. He gave them all to understand that he must be
addressed as "Doctor." Vefela did not quite understand it all, but she
did not complain, as she had made him acquainted with her situation.

Melchior had a man employed whose name was Wendel,--a stalwart,
hard-working fellow, who shared all Nero's friendships and enmities. He
loved the dog because the dog hated Brenner, and loved him doubly for
his devotion to Vefela. In Germany, polite people address each other as
"they;" equals on intimate terms are the "thee" and "thou;" and
superiors sometimes undertake to address inferiors as "he" or "she."
Brenner had once addressed Wendel as "he;" and this gave the latter,
what he had long desired, a pretext for hating the "beard-scraper" like
poison. In spite of this, however, he never objected to hunting him up
in town, even late at night, whenever Vefela took the trouble to say,
"Wendel, won't you, please?" Then he trudged along, and Nero ran with
him, and they brought the doctor a letter from Vefela. Sometimes, when
he had ploughed all day and was more tired than his horses, it cost
Vefela but a word to make him hook up again and take Brenner to town
through storm and darkness.

One Saturday night Vefela said to Wendel in the yard, "To-morrow you
must be so kind as to drive to Horb early in the morning and bring
Brenner here."

"Is it true," asked Wendel, "that you are going to be betrothed to
him?"

"Yes."

"Take my advice and don't do it. There are honest farmers in the world
enough."

Vefela replied, "You can't forgive Brenner for having said 'he' to
you." She had intended to say more, but checked herself, not wishing to
offend the poor fellow. To herself she said,