felt a little
awkward. He had not seen her since the night when she rode away from him
and left him alone on the level road between the fields. Joe dragged him
to the wooden bench beside the green table.

"You bring de flute," he cried, tapping the leather case under Nils'
arm. "Ah, das-a good' Now we have some liddle fun like old times. I got
somet'ing good for you." Joe shook his finger at Nils and winked his
blue eye, a bright clear eye, full of fire, though the tiny bloodvessels
on the ball were always a little distended. "I got somet'ing for you
from"--he paused and waved his hand--"Hongarie. You know Hongarie? You
wait!" He pushed Nils down on the bench, and went through the back door
of his saloon.

Nils looked at Clara, who sat frigidly with her white skirts drawn
tight about her. "He didn't tell you he had asked me to come, did he?
He wanted a party and proceeded to arrange it. Isn't he fun? Don't be
cross; let's give him a good time."

Clara smiled and shook out her skirt. "Isn't that like Father? And he
has sat here so meekly all day. Well, I won't pout. I'm glad you came.
He doesn't have very many good times now any more. There are so few of
his kind left. The second generation are a tame lot."

Joe came back with a flask in one hand and three wine glasses caught by
the stems between the fingers of the other. These he placed on the table
with an air of ceremony, and, going behind Nils, held the flask between
him and the sun, squinting into it admiringly. "You know dis, Tokai? A
great friend of mine, he bring dis to me, a present out of Hongarie. You
know how much it cost, dis wine? Chust so much what it weigh in gold.
Nobody but de nobles drink him in Bohemie. Many, many years I save him
up, dis Tokai." Joe whipped out his official corkscrew and delicately
removed the cork. "De old man die what bring him to me, an' dis wine he
lay on his belly in my cellar an' sleep. An' now," carefully pouring
out the heavy yellow wine, "an' now he wake up; and maybe he wake us
up, too!" He carried one of the glasses to his daughter and presented it
with great gallantry.

Clara shook her head, but, seeing her father's disappointment, relented.
"You taste it first. I don't want so much."

Joe sampled it with a beatific expression, and turned to Nils. "You
drink him slow, dis wine. He very soft, but he go down hot. You see!"

After a second glass Nils declared that he couldn't take any more
without getting sleepy. "N