age on his farm. Though he was not rich, he was
young and keen, and my father knew well that the richest
are not those who begin life with riches. There would have
been no hindrance to a marriage forthwith, but for some law
business in the town, of which I never understood the
truth. But it concerned the land and house of Kornel, and
my father would not say the last word till that should be
settled.

"It dragged on for a long while, that law matter, and the
conversations between Kornel and my father ran mainly in
guesses about it, with much talk that was very forlorn of
interest. But what did it matter to me? I had the man, and
knew I could keep him; had I foreseen the future, even then
I would not have cared. But for all that, I was very uneasy
one hot day when Kornel rode over with a grave face and
eyes that looked as though he had not slept the night
before.

"My father gave him a sharp look, and pulled strongly at
his pipe, like a man who prepares for ticklish business.

"'You have news?' he asked.

"'Kornel nodded, and looked at me. It was a look as though
he would ask me to spare and forgive. I smiled at him, and
came and stood at his side.

"'From what you have told me,' began my father, looking
very wise, 'the water right may cut you off from the
pastures. Is that so?'

"'No,' said Kornel; 'all that is wrong.'

"'H'm. Indeed! Then you will have to carry your north
beacon farther to the east and lose the dam.'

"'Wrong again,' answered Kornel patiently.

"'Then you have won your case,' said my father, very eager
to name the truth and prove his wisdom.

"'Dear me!' said Kornel;' you have no idea at all of the
matter. You are quite out in your guesses. I have not won
my case. I have lost it, and the land and the house and the
stock along with it. I came over on a horse that is no more
mine than this chair is. For all I know my very trousers
may belong to the other man. There you have it. What do you
say to that?'

"'Then you have nothing at all?' asked my father.

"'I have a piece of waste on the dorp road, near the
spruit,' answered Kornel. 'There is a kind of hut on it.
That is all. It is only two morgen' (four acres).

"My father sat shaking his head in silence for a long time,
while Kornel clenched and unclenched his hands and stared
at the floor and frowned. I put my hand on his shoulder,
and he trembled.

"'It is an affliction,' said my father at last, 'and no
doubt you know very well