k
against hers, and to comfort her he compassionately kissed the bruised
spot. Only a short time ago she had frankly thrown her arms around his
neck if she wanted him to gratify a wish or forgive an offence without
ever receiving a response to her affection. This time he had been the
aggressor, and received an angry rebuff; during the little scuffle which
now followed, Wolf's heart suddenly grew hot, and his kiss fell upon her
scarlet lips. The first was followed by several others, until steps on
the stairs parted the young lover from the girl, who offered but a feeble
resistance.

Now he remembered the incident, and his cheeks flushed again. Oh, if
to-day he should possess the right to have those refractory lips at his
disposal!

During the five months spent in Ratisbon after that attack in the chapel
he had more than once been bold enough to strive for more kisses, but
always in vain, and rarely without bearing away a sharp reprimand, for
Barbara had felt her slight resistance in the chapel as a grave offence.
She had permitted something forbidden under the eyes of the Virgin's
image, and this had seemed to her so wicked that she had confessed it,
and not only been sternly censured, but had a penance imposed.

Barbara had not forgotten this, and had understood how to keep him aloof
with maidenly austerity until, on the evening before his departure, he
had hung around her neck the big gold thaler his godfather had given him.

Then, obeying an impulse of gratitude, she had thrown her arms around his
neck; but even then she would not allow him to kiss her lips again.
Instead, she hastily drew back to examine the gold thaler closely,
praised its weight and beauty, and then promised Wolf that when she was
rich and he had become a great lord she would have a new goblet made for
him out of just such coins, like one which she had seen at the Wollers in
the Ark, the richest of her wealthy relatives.

As Wolf now recalled this promise it vexed him again.

What had he expected from that parting hour--the vow of eternal fidelity,
a firm betrothal, ardent kisses, and a tender embrace? But, instead of
obtaining even one of these beautiful things, he had become involved in a
dispute with Barbara because he desired to receive nothing from her, and
only claimed the right of showering gifts upon her later.

This had pleased her, and, when he urged her to promise to wait for him
and become his wife when he returned home a made ma