y that if he wants her he can come and fetch her."

"Father! father!" cried the boy, turning round, "Neighbor Frieshardt has
taken our cow away. Come and get her back."

Obeying his son's call, Toni Hirzel hastened out of the cottage just in
time to see his neighbor locking the byre upon Liesli, the only cow he
possessed. "Oho, my friend," he exclaimed, "what is the meaning of
this?"

"Don't you understand, Hirzel?" replied his neighbor, in a mocking and
sarcastic tone. "Recollect what you promised me the other day. You have
been owing me forty francs since last winter, and said you would pay me
yesterday. But as you have forgotten it, I have taken your cow, and mean
to keep her till I get the money back."

Toni Hirzel frowned and bit his lips. "You know very well," said he,
"that I have not been able to pay my small debt. My poor wife's illness
and funeral cost me a great deal of money; but you know quite well that
I am an honest man, and that there is no need for you to behave in such
an unkind and unfriendly way toward me. It is not neighborly,
Frieshardt."

"Neighborly nonsense!" replied the farmer. "The cow belongs to me until
you pay the money."

With these words he turned on his heel and went into his house, the size
and general appearance of which bespoke the comfort, if not the luxury,
of its owner. With a sad and anxious expression Toni Hirzel followed him
with his eye.

"But, father," said the youth, in surprise and anger, "do you mean
quietly to put up with that? I wouldn't suffer it, if I were you."

"Hush, hush, my boy!" replied his father quietly. "It is certainly not
very kind of Frieshardt to treat a poor neighbor in such a harsh way;
but he has the law on his side, for I can't deny that I owe him the
money. I should have paid him long ago if it had been possible, but your
poor mother's illness and death prevented me. We must have patience. I
dare say my cousin will lend me the forty francs if I ask him, and then
we shall get our cow back again. Don't be afraid, Watty. You shall see
Liesli feeding in the meadow again to-morrow."

"Yes, that she shall, father," said the boy, in a decided tone. "She
shall be brought back whether you get the money or not. Frieshardt shall
give her up to-day, and be thoroughly ashamed into the bargain for his
hard-heartedness. He has got forty cows on the hills, and yet robs a
poor neighbor of the only one he has got. What harm have we done him,
that he should tr