ot one, thought he, knew what Irma could do. She
soon modulated into the familiar melody, and the little pitchman was
the first to start the song:

Oh, blissful is the tender tie.

It was a happy, cheerful hour.

Hansei now conducted his wife, Irma, and the little pitchman to the
spot from which they could catch a glimpse of the lake near their old
home. It sparkled brightly in the sun, and Hansei remarked that it
seemed like the look of a human being who had known him from youth up.

Walpurga was afraid lest the scene might awaken sad thoughts in Irma,
and turned toward her; but she only said: "It pleases me, too."

Hansei now described the whole neighborhood to Irma, told her where
this and that place lay, and showed her the mountain where he had
planted so many trees. The forest itself could not be seen, but the
rocky peak which rose from it was visible.

Walpurga, meanwhile, drew her uncle aside, and said:

"Uncle, my mother's dead--"

"Yes, I know it, and you can't think more of her than I do. Just ask
Irmgard how often we talk of her. It always seems to me as if she must
be in the next room. It isn't far to heaven from where we now are. She
can hear every word we say."

"Yes, uncle; but let me finish what I was going to say. I've got
something to tell you."

It went hard with the uncle to listen quietly, for he always had so
much to say himself. Without noticing his repeated interruptions,
Walpurga continued:

"Uncle, you're a sensible man--"

"May be, but it hasn't done me much good in life."

"Now I want to tell you something--"

"Very well; out with it."

"I'm in trouble about Irmgard--"

"You needn't worry about her. I watch her as if she was the apple of my
eye. Make yourself quite easy on that score."

"Yes, uncle, I know all about that; but there are some awful
wicked people in the world, and they'll follow you up to the very
mountain-tops--"

"Yes, I know; the gend'arme often--"

"Uncle, do listen to me patiently!"

"Yes, yes; I'm not saying a word."

"Well, uncle, mother knew who Irmgard is."

"And so do I. You needn't tell me anything about that. I know her, out
and out. I'm not so stupid, depend on that."

"Yes, uncle, that's all right. I wanted to confide something to you--"

"You can trust me with anything. As to that matter, I can call your
mother in heaven to bear me witness--"

"There's no need of that. Well, as I was going to say, Irmgard ha