repressible boys a fine harvest time.

As she rode along she tore off a leaf of a nut-tree.

For some time her voice had been different; it was no longer as if
veiled with tears. Turning to her father, she continued:--

"You can bring this about. Set out a nursery of nut-trees, and give to
all the villages round as many nurslings as they can make use of."

Sonnenkamp promised to carry out the idea, and unfolded a plan which he
had much at heart, of establishing general benevolent institutions, the
first of which should be a fund for the widows and orphans of boatmen.

Manna stroked her beautiful white pony, to which she had given the name
Snowdrop.

Pranken was happy that the horse proved itself worthy of its mistress,
and voluntarily extending her hand, she thanked him for his care.

"Now trot. Snow-drop!" she cried, chirruping; and with Pranken on one
side, and her father on the other, she rode boldly, rising in the
saddle.

They now came in sight, of an advancing procession. Manna reined in so
suddenly that she would have been thrown over her horse's head, had not
Sonnenkamp held her by her riding-habit. They dismounted, and Roland
and Eric were also obliged to dismount. The grooms led the horses, and
Manna walked with the procession. Holding up her long riding-dress, not
proudly, but humbly, she sang aloud with the pilgrims, and Pranken
also. Eric was silent.

At a chapel by the way-side Manna knelt down, and Pranken also knelt by
her side. When she arose, she was amazed to see that the rest had gone,
leaving Pranken and her together. They were waiting in a pathway
through the field, not far off, with the grooms who were holding the
horses. The procession moved on, and Pranken and Manna were left alone.
The murmur of the pilgrims was heard in the distance. Pranken held his
hands folded together, and looked at Manna as if praying.

"Manna," he began, he had never called her Manna before. "Manna, such
is to be our life. We acknowledge the grace of heaven, that we,
possessed of wealth and inheriting noble names, can occupy a lofty
position, but are ready every moment to unite ourselves with our
brothers and sisters who walk the holy paths in coarse shoes and
barefoot, and to put ourselves on a level with them. Manna, thus will
we live!"

He took her hand, which she allowed him to hold an instant, and then
drew it away. He continued:--

"I have never yet told you that I too have wrestled with the holy
res