e. But when she
died, and he saw all that was done for her--it was Father Jansen who
was there. Of course you know him--he always walks with a black cane,
but he never lets it touch the ground----"

The women looked at Walter questioningly. The poor boy sat on the
basket, his elbows on his knees, his chin in his hands. He had listened
with open mouth, wondering how he was going to apply it all to his
poem. Of Father Jansen and that cane which despised the ground he
had never heard. This he had to confess.

"Yes, it was Father Jansen who was there, and when my husband's nephew
saw all that--don't spill any, Femke, or the mud will splatter so
bad--yes, when he saw that a human being doesn't die like an animal,
then he was more respectful, and after that he observed Easter like
other people. And last year when he broke his leg--he's a dyer,
you know--he drew thirteen stivers for nine weeks. And so I wanted
to tell you that there's a widower in our family. And now you must
get up, for I need the basket."

Walter arose quickly, as if he feared he might seem to be trespassing;
and the woman went away, after having warned Femke to watch the linen
and call her if any bad boys should come along.

"Are you better now?" Femke asked kindly.

"Oh yes; but I don't see how I'm to use all that in my poem. You
must remember that it has to rhyme, and the verses must be of the
same length, and that they must be masculine and feminine; for my
brother said so, and he's a school-teacher."

Femke reflected, then all at once she cried, "Do you know Latin?" As
if Latin would help Walter.

"No," disconsolately.

"Well, it really makes no difference. It's in Dutch, too. Just watch
the linen a minute."

Walter promised, and Femke ran to the house.

Then some boys came along throwing rocks. Walter, conscious of his
responsibility, called to them to desist--or words to that effect. This
only made them worse. They came closer, and, to worry Walter, began to
walk over the linen. For him it was as if they were mistreating Femke,
and he charged on the miscreants. But it was two against one, and a
weaker one at that; so he would have soon been defeated if his lady had
not returned quickly. She rescued him and drove off his assailants; and
when she saw that his lip was bleeding she gave him a kiss. The boy's
heart trembled; all at once his soul was lifted to an unfamiliar level;
and for the first time in weeks he felt again that princely natu