in the doorway, in a despondent
attitude, with his hands in his pockets. He was brooding over the
melancholy reflection that he had paid away the last penny of the coin
that Judith had given him, for last evening's glass at the Rehbock, and
that he had no credit. He saw no glimmer of hope in the prospect before
him, and looked disconsolately at the ground. Suddenly Veronica stood
before him. He stared at her with surprise.

"Blasi, will you do me a favor?" she asked in a friendly tone, "I will
return it sometime when you need help."

Here was an unexpected chance. He opened his eyes yet wider with delight.

"Tell me what it is, Veronica," he said; "I will go through fire and
water for you."

"It is only to go through the wood for me, to-morrow evening, and every
evening till the days grow longer again. Will you? You can have your
evening glass afterwards at my expense."

Blasi stood speechless; staring at Veronica, who waited for his answer.

"Why; do you want two of us?" he said presently, "I don't see why. Jost is
going too, for you told him to go and meet you every evening."

Veronica's dark eyes flashed forth a fire that dazzled poor Blasi.

"So! I told him to go, did I? Who told you such a thing as that?"

"Jost said so himself at the Rehbock last evening, before a room full of
people; and some of them said that you were going to prove that you could
get along very well without the fellow that ran away."

Veronica flushed burning red.

"Tell Jost," she said, scornfully, "that if he is clever in nothing else
he is a master liar. I would tell him myself, but I will never speak to
him again. Will you come for me tomorrow or not, Blasi?" she had turned to
leave him.

"Why of course, if that's the way it is about Jost, I'll come. You may
count on me," he replied gleefully. She held out her hand to him, and was
gone.

The next evening, as Blasi was walking at his ease, towards the wood, he
met Jost hurrying along from another direction.

"Where may you be going?" asked Jost peremptorily.

"I am going to meet Veronica; she engaged me to," answered Blasi, not at
all unwilling to make known his errand.

"Well, you are a dunderhead to take a joke like that for sober earnest,"
said Jost, bursting into a loud laugh. "Hadn't you sense enough to see
that she was making a fool of you? We had a good laugh together about it
last night, she and I, and she said she had a mind to make you go all
winter long to Fohre