She had, with great circumspection, arranged quite a difficult
affair.--On the following morning, Irma was to go to the shepherd's
hut, and all danger of discovery would be averted. It is no trifling
matter to keep such a secret a whole winter, for Irma had judged
rightly. Walpurga encouraged Irma's plan of spending the entire summer
in deeper solitude. Stasi, whose husband had heard it from the chief
forester, told her that the king intended to visit the neighboring
village during the following summer. She feared for Irma, and now her
fears had taken a still more decided shape. Stasi's husband had been
removed to the dairy-farm and had been ordered to arrange the forest
paths and drives, preparatory to the king's arrival.

Hansei was quite willing that his wife, instead of going to the
neighboring village, should go to a more distant town, in order to
purchase the articles of use and comfort which it would be necessary
for Gundel and Irma to take with them to the shepherd's hut. This
afforded her an opportunity to fulfill her promise to visit Stasi in
her new home. He even consented that Burgei should go along. And thus
Walpurga drove off, her heart full of happiness, and with a kindly
smile of greeting for all whom she met on the road.

"I only wish," said Franz, "that we could drive along the lake, and by
our old village, for we all came from there; you and I, Burgei and the
horse."

Franz had bestowed especial care upon his appearance.

His face beamed with joy, for he, too, cherished a secret thought. He
intended to buy a silver ring to place on Gundel's finger, before she
went to the shepherd's hut.

"Be careful of that horse," replied Walpurga. "He's so very young. What
a fine day it is. The cherries down here aren't in blossom yet, and the
sapling we brought from home is blossoming to-day, for the first time.
Didn't you see it?"

"No."

They drove on in silence.

When they drew near to the village in which Stasi lived, Franz, who
drove about the country a good deal, said:

"This pretty brook flows from up near our new meadow. It comes out of
the rocks scarcely a rifle-shot from there."

Walpurga smiled at the thought that a stream that flowed far through
the country, had its source on her own land. Yes, no one knows what
fortune may have in store for him.

Stasi was delighted at Walpurga's arrival, and was lavish in her praise
of all that belonged to her friend. She declared that the king himself